Effect of fiber orientations of composite panels under far‐field pyroshock

The effect of different fiber orientations of composite panels of E‐Glass/Epoxy under far‐field pyroshock is presented in this article. To get the far‐field pyroshock response, the experiments are conducted using Bi‐plate technology under low range of input chamber pressures to projectiles of three different lengths. PCB accelerometers and NI‐DAQ system with LabView software are used to capture the structural responses in the form of acceleration‐time histories and analyze them at selected locations. Abaqus/Explicit code is used in the Finite Element Analysis (FEA) for the pyroshock response of composite panels with different fiber orientations. From the results, it is found that the selected locations on the [0/90/±45]_s WRM (Woven Roving Mat) laminate experience higher accelerations, above 30% extra, than other fiber orientations. Since [0/90/±45]_s laminate has lengthier fiber rovings along the diagonal direction, higher Young's modulus along the fiber direction and the most vibration modes are diagonally biased, the response amplitude would be high enough to experience maximum acceleration. The acceleration responses are obtained both from FEA and experiments and show good agreement. POLYM. COMPOS., 40:255–262, 2019. © 2017 Society of Plastics Engineers