Effect of Fibre Volume Fraction and Ply Angle on Performance of Glass Composite Laminates Under Low Velocity Impact

Glass fibre reinforced polymer composite laminates are used extensively in making different composite structures for space and defence applications. The reason for using composites in place of conventional materials such as metals is due to their high specific strength and high impact resistance. In the present study, E-glass/epoxy composite laminates of [0/90] cross-ply configuration with three different fibre volume fractions (Vf: 0.6, 0.53 and 0.45) were prepared using hand lay-up and followed by compression moulding technique. Composite laminates with different ply angle, viz. 15, 30 and 450 were also designed and manufactured using the same technique. Mechanical property evaluation revealed that angle ply laminates showed about 25% lower tensile and flexural strength as against to cross-ply laminates (Vf: 0.6). Low velocity impact experiments deduced that penetration resistance of glass composites decreases with a decrease in fibre volume fraction and with increase of ply angle. Visual observation of impacted laminates showed that extent of damage has increased with an increase in ply angle.