Numerical Modelling of Glass Fibre Reinforced Laminates Subjected to a Low Velocity Impact

Abstract

This paper presents a series of numerical predictions of the perforation behaviour of glass fibre laminates subjected to quasi‐static and low‐velocity impact loading. Both shear and tensile failure criteria were used in the finite element models to simulate the post‐failure processes via an automatic element removal procedure. The appropriate material properties, obtained through a series of uniaxial tension and bending tests on the composites, were used in the numerical models. Four, eight and sixteen ply glass fibre laminates panels were perforated at quasi‐static rates and under low‐velocity impact loading. Reasonably good correlation was obtained between the numerical simulations and the experimental results, both in terms of the failure modes and the load‐deflection relationships before and during the penetration phase. The predicted impact energies of the GFRP panels were compared with the experimental data and reasonable agreement was observed.