New approach for residual compressive strength prediction of impacted CFRP laminates

Abstract

Carbon fibre-reinforced plastics (CFRP) are susceptible to low velocity impact. The damage mechanisms occurring in the laminates are dependent on several parameters and no damage occurs if the impact energy is accommodated by the elastic strain energy in the material. In the present paper a two-parameter model has been developed for residual compressive strength prediction of impacted carbon fibre-reinforced laminates. The model takes into account parameters such as stacking sequence and material properties. For verification of the model, two groups of experimental results were used: group A test results were taken from the literature, while those of group B were taken from experiments executed within the framework of an EEC project, in which the University of Patras participated as a partner. Good agreement was found between experimental findings and theoretical predictions. Nomograms derived from the present model can be used for optimum design of the carbon fibre-reinforced laminates.