Effect of low velocity impact on residual compressive strength of stiffened panel with welding residual stress

Abstract

Al-Li alloy stiffened panel is the main structural form of aircraft fuselage. Laser welding will produce welding deformation and residual stress, on the other hand, low velocity impact will also affect the residual bearing capacity of stiffened panel structure. In this study, the nonlinear finite element (FE) method is used to simulate the laser welding process of stiffened panel, and the welding residual stress is directly introduced into the subsequent impact after compression (CAI) process of stiffened panel. The effects of different impact positions and different impact energy on the residual CAI strength of stiffened panel are studied. The results show that the impact damage has the greatest effect on the residual compressive strength of stiffened panel when the punch impacts the stiffener, and the greater the impact energy is, the greater the influence is.