Experimental and numerical investigation of the dynamic response of highly compliant, polymer-enhanced, graphite-reinforced cementitious composites

This dissertation demonstrates how composite materials, fabricated by placing a low modulus, lightweight polymer-enhanced, cementitious matrix over multiple layers of stiff reinforcement, can be used to create a composite material with relatively high tension and compression properties. This extraordinary combination allows a structure to be highly stressed and deformed to store large amounts of elastic strain energy, thus providing more design flexibility than traditional materials. When the structural response is modified as the service loads are decreased, the energy is released in a controlled fashion to do useful work. Prior research shows that the standard transform section method fails to provide accurate results when the elastic modulus ratio exceeds 20. A modified transformed section is formulated by using the rule of mixture to determine the effective material properties for the composite. Finite element analysis is used to verify the experimental results and a good agreement is obtained.; This dissertation investigates the experimental and numerical methods to determine the dynamic response of this new class of highly compliant, Polymer-Enhanced, Graphite Reinforced Cementitious Composite (PEGRCC) materials. Highly compliant, PEGRCC structures are designed based on the strength, stiffness, and the position of the component materials in the composite section. Their ability to store and release energy depends upon a complex interaction between the shape, modal response, and the forcing function initiated to the structure.; This dissertation shows that the PEGRCC materials behave like a composite material and the classical mechanics of composite material theory is applicable to PEGRCC laminates. The good agreement between the experimental natural frequencies and mode shapes and the finite element predictions indicate that the standard mechanical impact testing can be adopted to test PEGRCC materials. The accuracy of the finite element dynamic analysis shows that the finite element model based on the classical lamination theory is valid. The finite element model can therefore be used to analyze PEGRCC structures.