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Study Of Internal Response Of Epoxy Due To Compressive Load Via Experiment And Simulation Using Abaqus FEA Software

Epoxy is widely used primarily as a matrix material in the manufacture of polymer matrix composite. Epoxy behavior under compression load has to be understood before the mechanical behavior of polymer matrix composite can be accurately predicted. Simulation model combined with experiment and image analysis have been used to investigate internal response of epoxy polymeric materials subjected to compressive loads. In the experiment, small carbon-based material rods are inserted in the epoxy. The samples are held in one side and subjected to compressive load on the other side. All the samples swell at load sides. Image analysis on the carbon-based rods figures out the internal response, which seems to be isotropy in lateral direction. The results are compared to simulation results. The simulation is conducted using Abaqus FEA software. Similar condition is obtained when a brittle thin material is stuck to the top of simulation model. Keywords: Abaqus FEA, compression, epoxy, polymer matrix composites