Advanced characterization of laminated electrical steel structures under shear loading

ABSTRACT The thermomechanical and mechanical behavior of electrical steel laminates was investigated by dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) and a short beam test. These tests were implemented to evaluate the effect of various steel alloys on the adhesion properties of epoxy. DMA showed a dependency of curing state affected by the thermal conductivity of the steel alloy. Strain evaluation by digital image correlation showed that interlaminar shear failure occurred in a predominately cohesive manner in the epoxy layer at a shear angle of about 5°. This critical angle was not affected by the yield strength of the steel alloy used to create the laminate.