High strain-rate behavior of natural fiber-reinforced polymer composites

The high strain-rate constitutive behavior of polymer composites with various natural fibers is studied. Hemp, hemp/glass hybrid, cellulose, and wheat straw-reinforced polymeric composites have been manufactured, and a split-Hopkinson pressure bar apparatus has been designed to measure the dynamic stress–strain response of the materials. Using the apparatus, compressive stress–strain curves have been obtained that reveal the materials’...