Manzella, Anthony2011-06-282011-06-282010http://udspace.udel.edu/handle/19716/9762Determining the behavior of composite materials under impact is an important aspect of composite design. Conducting full-scale ballistic tests gives the most realistic insights into impact and penetration behavior, but the expense of these tests makes quasi-static testing and scaled testing attractive alternatives. The present research expands on a previously developed method for determining the penetration behavior of a composite system from quasi-static punch shear testing. While the previous work considered a single punch diameter-composite thickness pair, the present work lays the foundation for using parametric analysis to generalize this methodology for a range of diameters and thicknesses. Experimental results for a variety of punch diameters and composite thicknesses are coupled with analytical solutions and numerical analyses to understand the scaling behavior of the punch-composite system under the specialized case of a confined compression loading. The failure mechanisms and necessary specimen dimensions are explored, leading to the development of scaling factors based on the parameters which define the experimental setup: composite thickness and punch diameter.Composite materials -- Impact testingThesis