Experimental Evaluation of F-16 Polycarbonate Canopy Material

Abstract : This report documents a test program which was conducted to evaluate the relative merits and change in impact resistance of three coated monolithic polycarbonates, including initial production F-16 canopy material, and three laminated polycarbonates after being subjected to selected environmental exposure conditions. Environmental exposures which were investigated were: ultraviolet radiation, moisture, thermal, sunlight, sunlight/moisture, combined temperature/humidity, and combined UV/humidity. To experimentally evaluate the influence of the exposure, samples of candidate materials were conditioned and subjected to the following tests: falling weight impact, high rate beam flexure, air cannon, flatwise tension, torsional shear, chemical craze, rain erosion, and abrasion.