2D Elastodynamic Solution for the Impact Response of Laminated Composites

Abstract

This paper presents a general, exact, two-dimensional (2D) elastodynamic analysis of the response of laminated composite panels subjected to transverse impact loading under conditions of planar deformation. The natural frequencies and mode shapes of free vibration are first extracted. Inspired by a transformation technique for solving a special class of partial differential equations, the forced vibration problem of an impacted laminated panel is solved using an eigenfunction expansion technique. Several examples are studied by varying the laminate lay-up and length-to-thickness ratio. The distributions of transverse stresses in the through-the-thickness direction are further compared with two one-dimensional theories, classical lamination theory (CLT) and first-order shear deformation theory (FSDT), showing the inadequacy of these theories and the necessity to establish a benchmark solution for 2D elastodynamics. The 2D elastodynamic theory that is formulated is also applicable for studying other multilayered structures subjected to arbitrary loading profiles.