Experimental and numerical investigation of the high-velocity impact resistance of fiber metal laminates and Al 6061-T6 by using electromagnetic launcher

Abstract

Fiber metal laminates (FMLs) are composites that have better mechanical properties (e.g. specific stiffness, strength, and impact resistance) than metallic materials. FMLs can be use in automobile and aviation industries as performance-enhancing or weight-lightening materials. To use FMLs in industries, a numerical analysis process should be established to reduce experimental cost and time. To establish such a process, the properties of adhesive zone materials in FMLs at delamination conditions should be determined. In this study, FMLs were produced, and the properties of the adhesive zone materials were determined from the strain energy release rate. Based on these properties, numerical analysis was performed through LS-DYNA for metallic Al 6061-T6 and by ABAQUS for FMLs. The Johnson-Cook strength and damage model, which can represent the strain rate effect, were used as the material model. The adhesive film was expressed by strain energy release rate, and self-reinforce polypropylene had FLD without cohesive zone model (CZM). Furthermore, the impact resistances of FMLs and Al 6061-T6 were investigated and compared at high velocities by developing an electromagnetic launcher. The impact resistance of the FMLs was investigated using impact test and numerical analysis, showed that FMLs had better impact resistance than metallic materials at high velocities. This numerical analysis also provided an impact prediction method at highvelocity impact phenomenon without CZM.