Analysis on Low Velocity Impact Damage and Compressive Residual Strength of Composite Laminates

Abstract

This paper studies the impact damage under low velocity impact for composite laminates based on a nonlinear progressive damage model. Damage evolution is described by the framework of the continuum damage mechanics. The real impact damage status of composite laminates has been used to analyze the residual compressive strength instead of assumptions on damage area after impact. The validity of the methodologies has been demonstrated by comparing the numerical results with the experimental data available in literature. The delamination area has an error of 11.3%. The errors of residual strength and compressive displacement are 8.9% and 15%, which indicate that the numerical results matched well with the experimental data.