Perforation of Composite Laminate Subjected to Dynamic Loads

Abstract

AbstractThis chapter focuses on the modeling of plain woven GFRP laminates under high-velocity impact. A brief review of the different approaches available in scientific literature to model the behavior of composite laminates subjected to high-velocity impact of low-mass projectiles is presented, and a new analytical model is proposed. The present model is able to predict the energy absorbed by the laminate during the perforation process including the main energy-absorption mechanisms for thin laminates: kinetic energy transferred to the laminate, fiber failure, elastic deformation, matrix cracking, and delamination.The model is validated through comparison with experimental data obtained in high-velocity impact tests on plain woven laminates made from glass fiber and polyester resin, using different plate thicknesses. Moreover, a numerical model based on the Finite Element Method (FEM) was developed to verify the hypothesis of the analytical model. The model showed good agreement with experimental results for a laminate thickness between 3 and 6 mm. However, when the thickness reached 12 mm the model overestimated the residual velocity of the projectile.The validated analytical model is used to analyze the contribution of the main energy-absorption mechanisms. For impact velocities lower than or equal to the ballistic limit, the main energy-absorption mechanisms are fiber elastic deformation and fiber failure, thus the impact behavior of the laminate is dominated by the stiffness and the strength of the plate. Meanwhile, for higher impact velocities, laminate acceleration is the main energy-absorption mechanism, and the behavior of the laminate is dominated by its density.KeywordsElastic DeformationImpact VelocityDamage AreaTensile FailureResidual VelocityThese keywords were added by machine and not by the authors. This process is experimental and the keywords may be updated as the learning algorithm improves.