The interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) of a laminated carbon/carbon composite at temperatures up to 2000 deg C

Recent investigations demonstrated that an unsymmetrical compression-shear-test is suited for determining the Interlaminar Shear Strength (ILSS) of laminated C/C materials [1). This method is applied to high temperature measurements in inert atmosphere. Additionally, for comparison short-beam-tests were carried out because this test is the usual one at present. In both cases the shear strength values measured increase with increasing temperature. However, at each temperature level considered, in the short-beam-tests higher values result. Furthermore, the slope of the strength increase differs between these two methods. This finding is explained by different stress distributions arising in the specimens which also result in different failure modes.