Effect of drop weight impact on the torsional-loading behavior of filament wound and prepreg-wrapped composite tubes

Abstract

This article presents an experimental study on the torsional behavior of composite tubes subjected to impact loadings. Four types of composite tubes with the winding angle of 30°, 45°, 60°, and 75° ([±30]FW, [±45]FW, [±60]FW, and [±75]FW) were produced with the filament winding method. Besides, a [0,90]PP composite tube was manufactured with the prepreg wrapping technique. After the composite tubes were impacted at 2.5 J, 5.0 J, and 7.5 J, non-impacted and impacted composite tubes were tested under torsional loading. Contact force–deformation curves of impacted tubes are presented. Torsional moment–twist angle relations for both impacted and non-impacted composite tubes were obtained. In addition, front view and side view of the impacted zone of composite tubes are given. The results showed that sample [±60]FW had the best impact performance with regard to absorbed energy. The impacted samples of [±60]FW and [±75]FW had the lowest torsional strength for each energy level.