Scale effects before testing 1

[lecotier]

Hi !
I'm just about to design some smaller specimens in order to validate my calculations on a bigger Fiber Reinforced Polymers(FRP) Sabdwich bridge deck. My materials are Glass Fiber as faces and Balsa as core. My question: Where do I get additional information about how to design a smaller deck while taking into account the stress states in the real bigger construction ? I know the dimensions and stress state of the real construction.
Thanks
Patrice

 

[Ron]

This is difficult to do with a high comfort level of accuracy. Composites often combine materials that exhibit non-linear behavior or 2nd order effects with more linearly predictable materials. The result in full scale is usually desirable, but as we reduce the scale (if you are considering a true scaling of all dimensions/parameters)the individual affects become more pronounced.

I would suggest a smaller piece of the structure, but maintain full scale. Restraint conditions are usually easier to accomodate than scaling issues.

Ron

 

[lecotier]

Hi Ron !
Thanks for your suggestion. I'll try the smaller piece of structure with maintained full scale using FEM first.
Patrice