Structural fracture scales in shock-loaded epoxy composites

Shock fracture mechanisms of different scales were investigated on epoxy composite materials reinforced with silicon carbide microparticles of different concentrations. It is shown that the high heterogeneity of the epoxy composites at different structural scales is one of the factors responsible for their physical and mechanical properties. Under dynamic loading, the material reveals a developed structural scale hierarchy which provides self-consistent deformation and fracture of the material bulk with the lead of rotational deformation modes. As a result, microcracks develop due to low shear strain limited in addition by reinforcing particles. At the start of a main crack, microscale mechanisms dominate, whereas the propagation of its front is governed by macroscale fracture mechanisms.