HVI tests on CFRP laminates at low temperature

The paper reports a result of low temperature hypervelocity impact (HVI) tests of aluminum sphere against a 16-ply quasi-isotropic Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic (CFRP) laminate plate at speed ranging from 1.4 to 5.4 km/s in air at 10 Pa. The result was compared with room temperature impacts. At low speed impact on CFRP plates, fracture patterns of specimens varied depending on their temperatures, whereas at high-speed impact, any significant differences in the fracture patterns around penetration holes and independent of the temperatures.