Analysis of Low-Velocity Impact Properties of Kevlar 149-Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer Matrix Composites

Abstract

Aircraft undergoes various low-velocity impacts such as bird strike, runway debris, foreign tools drop, etc. on its structure. Kevlar is widely used in several components and structure of the aircraft as Kevlar is an organic fiber from an aromatic polyamide family. Carbon fiber has advantages like high stiffness and properties like that of kevlar. The present study focuses on the analysis of low-velocity impact properties of kevlar 149-carbon fiber reinforced polymer matrix composite material. In this analysis, kevlar 149-carbon fiber, pure kevlar 149 by 10 layers of laminate and pure carbon fiber by 10 layers of laminate are impacted by ball material with a mass of 8g at velocity of 9m/s. The ball impact on the laminate is simulated using LS-DYNA. The max. principal stress, absorbed energy, velocity and displacement of K149C, CK149, KK149CC, CCKK149, KK149 and CC are obtained and compared with all the six composite laminates. The composite laminate, K149C, proves to be the best laminate for aircrafts as it possesses a higher max. principal stress and lower displacement.