Ricerc@Sapienza

Fiber Reinforced Polymers (FRP) material are proposed and implemented for civil engineering applications for both retrofitting of existing structures and building of new facilities. In new construction realizations, FRP elements are frequently manufactured using pultrusion that represents a high rate manufacturing method, however characterized by a prevalent longitudinal fiber orientation with consequently weakness along the directions different than the longitudinal one.

Hybrid composite samples with different carbon and glass fiber layers arrangement were produced by resin transfer molding (RTM) in an attempt to disclose the effects of low temperature on their flexural and low velocity impact behavior. Flexural tests were carried out at T = −50°C and the failure modes were examined, while impact tests, always at T = −50°C, were performed at penetration and at indentation in the range from 10 J to 30 J. The damage extension was accurately evaluated by ultrasonic non-destructive testing.