Shock Tube Tests of a Kevlar Sandwich Panel and Comparison with Theory

Two large identical sandwich panels having face sheets made of Kevlar 49 cloth and epoxy matrix were tested against blast in an eight foot (2.44 m) diameter shock tube. Plastic deformation occurred in both panels. The central displacement and the applied pressure were recorded and used with simple beam theory to calculate the dynamic modulus of elasticity and the dynamic yield strength in compression of the Kevlar composite.