High strain rate compressive response of the Cf/SiC composite

Carbon fiber reinforced ceramic owns the properties of lightweight, high fracture toughness, excellent shock resistance, and thus overcomes ceramic's brittleness. The researches on the advanced structure of astronautics, marine have exclusively evaluated the quasi-static mechanical response of carbon fiber reinforced ceramics, while few investigations are available in the open literature regarding elastodynamics. This paper reports the dynamic compressive responses of a carbon fiber reinforced silicon carbide (C_f/SiC) composite (CFCMC) tested by the material test system 801 machine (MTS) and the split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB). These tests were to determine the rate dependent compression response and high strain rate failure mechanism of the C_f/SiC composite in in-plane and out-plane directions. The in-plane compressive strain rates are from 0.001 to 2200?s^?1, and that of the out-plane direction are from 0.001 to 2400?s^?1. The compressive stress-strain curves show the C_f/SiC composite has a property of strain rate sensitivity in both directions while under high strain rate loadings. Its compressive stiffness, compressive stress, and corresponding strain are also strain rate sensitive. The compressive damage morphologies after high strain rate impacting show different failure modes for each loading direction. This study provides knowledge about elastodynamics of fiber-reinforced ceramics and extends their design criterion with a reliable evaluation while applying in the scenario of loading high strain rate.