Energy dissipation mechanism of fiber metal laminate under low-velocity impact

Abstract

Identification of the energy dissipation behavior of fiber metal laminate under low-velocity impact is necessary for understanding its impact response and damage mechanism, as the impact scenario is typical for energy conversion. In this paper, the glass fiber reinforced aluminum laminate (Glare) was tested under different impact energy to achieve typical low-velocity impact responses and damage patterns. By which the finite element model was built and verified to be effective, by employing the Johnson–Cook model for aluminum, Hashin’s criteria and exponential damage evolution law based VUMAT subroutine for GFRP, and bi-linear traction–separation cohesive zone model for their interface. Based on the history energy outputs on internal energy, elastic strain energy, plastic deformation dissipated energy, and damage dissipated energy in the finite element model. The contributions of the constituents in the energy absorption aspect of Glare were firstly revealed. Furthermore, how the energy was dissipated by the laminate and by the constituents, i.e., the distributions of energy evolutions in laminate and constituent levels, were clarified. Finally, damage evolutions of individual layers and the failure sequence of the entire laminate were elaborated. The results achieved have specified the energy dissipation mechanism and its association with the impact response of Glare.