Abstract
Many studies are concerning with impact properties of composite materials because their large usage in aero-spatial, automotive, marine and sport industry. As the use of composites is continuously increasing the need for more valuable materials becomes essential in designing and producing such materials for a growing market. It is well known that thermoplastic matrix composites show better impact resistance than the thermoset matrix materials but their forming technology is more expensive. This study was designed to analyse the impact behaviour of fabric reinforced thermoset polymer matrix composites with an emphasis on structure of reinforcement. The matrix is an epoxy resin (Epiphen RE4020 – DE 4020, Bostik) while the used fabrics are of carbon fibres, aramid, fibres and glass fibres. Low velocity tests were performed on materials, according to ISO N-6603, and the results were inspected by tomography. Keywords: epoxy resin, fabrics, impact tests