Design Of Laminates Research Articles

Uniform multiple laminates interpolation model and design method for double–double laminates based on multi-material topology optimization

Double–Double (DD) laminates, incorporating a repetition of sub-plies featuring two groups of balanced angles, offer broad design flexibility together with the ease of design and manufacturing. In this work, a novel optimization design method is proposed for DD composite laminates based on multi-material topology optimization. First, the uniform multiple laminates interpolation (UMLI) model is proposed to describe the certainty of the stacking direction in multi-layer composite structures, inspired by the interpolation model in multi-material topology optimization. Specifically, the stiffness matrices of all alternative angle combinations of laminates are interpolated to form virtual laminates. The UMLI model eliminates the need for adding interlayer constraints during the optimization process. Then, the optimization problem is defined to minimize the compliance of the composite structures and is solved using the gradient-based optimization algorithm. Finally, the proposed method is applied to the design of the composite stiffened panel, the composite Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) wing, and the rear fuselage. The results demonstrate that the UMLI model and proposed optimization method have considerable potential in the angle optimization design of multi-layer structures.

The effect of stacking sequences on energy absorption in axial crushing of CFRP stanchions for the cargo floor structure of airplanes

One of the remaining challenges for advancing the wide application of composite materials is to further improve the mechanical properties of composites. The fiber/matrix damage phenomenon produced by the composite model under axial loading has been observed through the establishment of a numerical model of composite damage. Axial crush tests have been performed on C-type carbon fiber reinforced polymers (CFRP) stanchions for the cargo floor structure of transport category airplanes using a finite element approach. The failure morphology and crashworthiness parameters of the specimens with different fiber layups have been recorded, and the effects of fiber orientation and angle of entrapment on the crashworthiness of the composites have been investigated. The present study demonstrates that the crashworthiness of composites can be effectively improved by fiber orientation design. Appropriate addition of 45° layer and 90° layer can effectively improve the crashworthiness of C-type CFRP laminates, and the performance of the two-angle and spiral laminates design is improved by 26% and 19%, respectively.

Design optimization of automotive carbon fiber composite material floor laminate based on PSO-BFO algorithm

In response to the current challenges of low precision and efficiency in the optimization of composite material layups, the insufficient lightweight of automotive body floors, and the high cost of carbon fiber composites, this study introduces an optimized design method for carbon fiber composite flooring layups. Based on implicit parametric technology, a hybrid PSO-BFO (Particle Swarm Optimization-Bacterial Foraging Optimization) algorithm is employed. This approach achieves an integrated optimization of materials, processes, and structures, thereby balancing and reducing costs. The SFE-CONCEPT is utilized to establish an implicit parameterization model for the body floor, which is validated through experiments and finite element simulation analysis. Concept design and modeling of the carbon fiber composite material floor laminate are performed. Continuous variable optimization is employed to determine the thickness, tile shape, and number of layers for the front, middle, and rear floors. A continuous variable discretization rounding strategy is used to obtain the discrete layer numbers for each laminate orientation of the composite material floor. The continuous fiber lamination strategy is applied to create different shared lamination regions. The PSO-BFO hybrid optimization method is proposed to optimize the lamination sequence as a multi-objective optimization, addressing the challenges of discrete lamination sequence, explosive combinations, and multiple variables in the optimization design of carbon fiber composite material floor laminates. The optimization results demonstrate improvements of 34.4% in floor quality M, 6.0% in static bending stiffness BS, and 5.3% in lightweight coefficient QLX using the proposed PSO-BFO method. PSO-BFO and PSO-GA (Particle Swarm Optimization-Genetic Algorithm) methods are more capable of obtaining global optimal solutions for complex optimization problems than single optimization algorithms. Still, the results obtained by the PSO-BFO method are more balanced.

Low-velocity impact (LVI) and compression after impact (CAI) of Double-Double composite laminates

Tailorability is a key advantage of fiber-reinforced composites over other material systems. While tailoring a single isolated laminate is relatively simple, challenges arise when designing larger integrated components while ensuring compatibility between laminates and avoiding sharp changes in local stiffness. The innovative Double-Double (DD) laminate design method simplifies the optimization and processing of laminates by incorporating 4-ply building blocks consisting of +ϕ, −ϕ, +ψ, and −ψ ply orientations. As a relatively new concept, DD laminate design requires careful assessment to ensure its performance is equivalent to that of conventional designs. The current study compares impact damage tolerance of quadriaxial (QUAD) laminates consisting of 0°, 90°, and ±45° ply orientations with equivalent DD laminates under Low-Velocity Impact (LVI) and Compression After Impact (CAI) loadings. To this end, a validated three-dimensional high-fidelity finite element model capable of capturing fiber breakage, splitting, kinking, as well as matrix cracking and delamination, was used. A computer tool was developed to identify equivalent DD laminates and to find the best stacking sequence for achieving layup homogenization. Three equivalent DD laminates were selected for the [0/45/90/−45]4s. The first laminate had an equal in-plane stiffness [A] matrix ([67.5/–22.5/22.5/−67.5]8T), the second laminate had an equal flexural stiffness [D] matrix ([64.5/−17/17/−64.5]8T), and the third laminate ([65.5/−18.5/18.5/−65.5]8T) had a similar [D] matrix while keeping the difference between each element of [A] matrices below 10 %. The results indicate that the QUAD laminates can be replaced by equivalent DD without compromising impact damage tolerance while benefiting from the improved design and manufacturing ease of the DD laminate configuration.

Acoustic emission and multiscale computation-guided tensile damage identification in woven composite laminates at cryogenic temperatures as low as 20 K

For laminated composite structures as key components of storage tanks serving at cryogenic temperature, it is crucial to identify the damage mechanisms for evaluating their mechanical properties and guiding structural design. In this work, the cryogenic tensile damage behavior of a thin-walled woven composite laminate was investigated through the acoustic emission (AE) monitoring and multiscale finite element (FE) computation at typical low temperatures of 153 K, 77 K and 20 K. We first established temperature-dependent constitutive laws for the microscale and mesoscale constituents of such composites based on experimental data, followed by the development of a hierarchical computational framework for modeling multiscale damage characteristics at different low temperatures. A fiber-optic acoustic emission measurement system was constructed to provide online monitoring of tensile damage of the woven composite laminates at cryogenic temperatures as low as 20 K. The comparations were made between the predicted cryogenic damage characteristics and in-situ AE signal analysis, assisted by scanning electron microscope (SEM) observations. The computed cryogenic damage evolution closely matched the AE signal identification results. The results indicate that fiber breakage and matrix cracking are the dominant cryogenic damage modes, and that the different low temperatures exert significant effects on the properties of the epoxy matrix, yarns and composite laminates. The combination of the AE monitoring system and the computational scheme provides a valuable tool for evaluating structural integrity and guiding the microstructural design of composite laminates used in cryogenic environments.

Quantum computing and tensor networks for laminate design: A novel approach to stacking sequence retrieval

As with many tasks in engineering, structural design frequently involves navigating complex and computationally expensive problems. A prime example is the weight optimization of laminated composite materials, which to this day remains a formidable task, due to an exponentially large configuration space and non-linear constraints. The rapidly developing field of quantum computation may offer novel approaches for addressing these intricate problems. However, before applying any quantum algorithm to a given problem, it must be translated into a form that is compatible with the underlying operations on a quantum computer. Our work specifically targets stacking sequence retrieval with lamination parameters, which is typically the second phase in a common bi-level optimization procedure for minimizing the weight of composite structures. To adapt stacking sequence retrieval for quantum computational methods, we map the possible stacking sequences onto a quantum state space. We further derive a linear operator, the Hamiltonian, within this state space that encapsulates the loss function inherent to the stacking sequence retrieval problem. Additionally, we demonstrate the incorporation of manufacturing constraints on stacking sequences as penalty terms in the Hamiltonian. This quantum representation is suitable for a variety of classical and quantum algorithms for finding the ground state of a quantum Hamiltonian. For a practical demonstration, we performed numerical state-vector simulations of two variational quantum algorithms and additionally chose a classical tensor network algorithm, the DMRG algorithm, to numerically validate our approach. For the DMRG algorithm, we derived a matrix product operator representation of the loss function Hamiltonian and the penalty terms. Although this work primarily concentrates on quantum computation, the application of tensor network algorithms presents a novel quantum-inspired approach for stacking sequence retrieval.

Multi-Objective Bayesian Optimization for Laminate-Inspired Mechanically Reinforced Piezoelectric Self-Powered Sensing Yarns.

Piezoelectric fiber yarns produced by electrospinning offer a versatile platform for intelligent devices, demonstrating mechanical durability and the ability to convert mechanical strain into electric signals. While conventional methods involve twisting a single poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-trifluoroethylene)(P(VDF-TrFE)) fiber mat to create yarns, by limiting control over the mechanical properties, an approach inspired by composite laminate design principles is proposed for strengthening. By stacking multiple electrospun mats in various sequences and twisting them into yarns, the mechanical properties of P(VDF-TrFE) yarn structures are efficiently optimized. By leveraging a multi-objective Bayesian optimization-based machine learning algorithm without imposing specific stacking restrictions, an optimal stacking sequence is determined that simultaneously enhances the ultimate tensile strength (UTS) and failure strain by considering the orientation angles of each aligned fiber mat as discrete design variables. The conditions on the Pareto front that achieve a balanced improvement in both the UTS and failure strain are identified. Additionally, applying corona poling induces extra dipole polarization in the yarn state, successfully fabricating mechanically robust and high-performance piezoelectric P(VDF-TrFE) yarns. Ultimately, the mechanically strengthened piezoelectric yarns demonstrate superior capabilities in self-powered sensing applications, particularly in challenging environments and sports scenarios, substantiating their potential for real-time signal detection.

Inverse design of bistable composite laminates with switching tunneling method for global optimization

Bistability enables adaptive designs with tunable deflections for applications including morphing wings, robotic grippers, and consumer products. Composite laminates may be designed to exhibit bistability due to pre-strains that develop during the processing of the polymer matrix, enabling fast reconfiguration between two stable shapes. Unfortunately, designing bistable laminates is challenging because of their highly nonlinear behavior. Here, we propose the Switching Tunneling Method to address this challenge by alternating between gradient-based local minimization and tunneling search phases, with the enhancement of objective expression switching to improve numerical conditioning. Results demonstrate high effectiveness compared to existing optimizers; the Switching Tunneling Method achieves a 99% success rate in finding all energy minima across general composite layups. Additionally, our method facilitates the inverse design of variable pre-strain fields, enabling bioinspired, positive Gaussian curvatures, which are not possible with conventional pre-strain laminates. Validations through both finite element analysis and 3D printed samples confirm the optimal designs.

Experimental validation of the buckling behavior of unreinforced and reinforced composite conical-cylindrical shells for launch-vehicles

Conical-cylindrical shells are common geometries in launch-vehicle structures as stage adapters and payload adapters, and they are susceptible to buckling due to their large radius-to-thickness ratios. Buckling design guidance is available but it is limited for conical and cylindrical shells. There is no available buckling design guidance for conical-cylindrical shells. This paper presents the validation of two finite element models used to successfully predict the buckling behavior of a composite conical-cylindrical shell with and without reinforcement tested in two separate campaigns. The laminate design for the first test campaign consisted of a quasi-isotropic layup. For the second test campaign, additional composite plies were applied to reinforce the transition region of the original laminate. The work presented demonstrates the ability to predict the buckling behavior of a composite conical-cylindrical shells with two different designs, which may aid in creating buckling design guidance for conical-cylindrical shells. Additionally, this paper shows that there is no appreciable benefit to adding reinforcement to the transition region if the intent is to increase the buckling load, due to the fact reinforcement brings increased buckling imperfection sensitivity to the shell.

Prediction of internal stress in alumina laminates induced by shrinkage mismatch based on elastic model modification

AbstractCracks induced by internal stresses compromise the structural integrity of ceramic laminates. Such stresses can be classified into thermal stress derived from thermal expansion mismatch and shrinkage stress derived from shrinkage mismatch. Analytical models have been proposed for the former, whereas only numerical predictions have been explored for the latter. In this study, an equation is constructed to predict the shrinkage stress by modifying an elastic solution proposed in previous studies. We fabricated laminates with three‐layer sandwiched structures using only alumina specimens with high and low densities to control the shrinkage and avoid thermal mismatch. Surface cracks were initiated when the shrinkage stress exceeded the flexural strength of the surface layer. Although the original strength of the surface layer was 308.8 MPa, the laminates’ flexural strength was lower than that because of shrinkage constraint. Our results demonstrate that the shrinkage stress was successfully estimated analytically using a few material properties measured in an ordinary environment. This study will ensure the structural integrity of ceramic laminates in laminate designs.

Enhanced strength and toughness in TC4-(GNPs/TC4) composites via heterogeneous multi-scale lamination design

Simultaneously achieving high strength and toughness for Ti alloys or Ti matrix composites is highly desirable but remains a great challenge. The present study reports a heterogeneous multi-scale laminated (HML) TC4-(GNPs/TC4) composites fabricated by field assisted sintering (FAST) and hot rolling (HR). The alternating combination of GNPs/TC4 layers and TC4 layers formed the primary laminated architecture. Within the GNPs/TC4 layer, the secondary laminated architecture was constructed through the parallel distribution of GNPs. No interface delamination was observed. In particular, the as-designed composites with 1:1 thickness ratio and 250 μm layer thickness exhibited the enhanced strength without sacrifice in ductility. In-situ tensile tests revealed that the soft layer in the primary laminated architecture possessing a high strain-bearing capacity, deflected and blunted the microcracks originated from the hard layer. Moreover, the secondary laminated architecture preferred to transform the two-dimensional cracks into three-dimensional cracks, thereby effectively increasing the crack propagation path. The synergistic effect of these mechanisms noticeably enhanced the toughness of the composites. Together they act in concert to render outstanding mechanical performance. This study highlights a simple and feasible route towards well balance between strength and ductility in Ti matrix composites, and informative for achieving high-performance in GNPs/Ti system.

Nonlinear thermal flutter of variable angle tow composite laminates in supersonic airflow

Compared with traditional composite materials, variable stiffness composite materials with curvilinear fiber paths have higher design flexibility and the potential to improve structural efficiency. In view of this, the nonlinear flutter characteristics of Variable Angle Tow (VAT) composite laminates with thermal effect in supersonic airflow are investigated in this paper. The proposed panel flutter model is developed based on the von Kármán large deformation plate theory. The thermal stress is approximated according to the quasi-steady thermal stress theory, whilst the aerodynamic pressure is calculated based on the first-order piston theory. The aerothermoelastic equations of motion are first established using Hamilton’s variational principle, and the Rayleigh-Ritz method is then applied to solve the governing equations in the space domain. The time-domain nonlinear equations are solved through the fourth-order Runge-Kutta method. The accuracy and convergence of the proposed method are verified through the comparisons with the results available in the literature. The effects of several parameters such as fiber orientation angle, thermal load, and aerodynamic pressure on the nonlinear flutter responses of VAT laminates are comprehensively discussed. Several dynamic behaviors of VAT laminates, including stable flat, buckled, Limit Cycle Oscillation (LCO), multi-periodic motion, quasi-periodic motion, and chaotic motion, are revealed by using the time history, phase portrait, Poincaré map, and bifurcation diagram. The results presented herein may be beneficial for the design of VAT laminates in supersonic airflow.

Conical-shaped variable stiffness composite laminates: Design and fiber path planning

This study presents an innovative design methodology for conical-shaped variable stiffness composite laminates. It employs the spectral Chebyshev method to solve dynamic equations, optimizing lamination parameters to maximize fundamental frequency. Subsequently, the fiber angles at the sampling points across the domain are retrieved. In the final step, a custom normalized cut segmentation approach is proposed to partition the domain into clusters and delineate fiber paths based on discrete fiber angles, while satisfying the manufacturing constraints such as curvature, gaps, and overlaps. The effectiveness of the proposed design methodology is demonstrated through several case studies, where maximum enhancement in fundamental frequency for the same part weight is compared to optimized constant stiffness composite laminates. The results show that an enhancement of 16% is achievable for a variable stiffness laminate disregarding manufacturing constraints for the fully clamped case study. However, the improvements reduce to 12.6% and 14% (deviating from the ideal optimal fundamental frequency by 4.5% and 3.3%), respectively, once the manufacturable constant and curvilinear fibers in each cluster are computed. This work can lead significant advances of engineering applications by enabling the design of variable stiffness laminates with complex geometries improving mechanical performance and/or reducing structural weight compared to conventional laminates.

Effects of Carbon/Kevlar Hybrid Ply and Intercalation Sequence on Mechanical Properties and Damage Resistance of Composite Laminates under Quasi-Static Indentation.

The investigation of damage development is essential for the design and optimization of hybrid structures. This paper provides a reference for the structural design of brittle-ductile hybrid LVI-resistant laminates through analyzing the damage development mechanism of carbon/Kevlar fabric-reinforced composite laminates. The effects of Kevlar fabric hybrid ply and intercalation on the damage development of carbon/Kevlar composite laminates under low-velocity impact (LVI) were investigated using quasi-static indentation (QSI). It was found that an increase in the Kevlar hybrid ratio significantly reduced the peak load and stiffness of these laminates (the maximum decreases in strength and stiffness were 46.03% and 41.43%, respectively), while laminates with identical hybrid ratios but different plying configurations maintained a comparable stiffness under QSI, with differences of less than 5%. Interestingly, Kevlar fibers exhibited irregular fractures as the yarn was splitting, while carbon fibers presented neat breaks, which indicated material-specific failure modes. Notably, the introduction of Kevlar hybridization beyond pure Kevlar configurations (KKKK) resulted in a decrease in the percentage of fiber damage (CCCC, CCCK, CCKK, and KCCK accounted for 80%, 79.8%, 70%, and 60% of fiber damage, respectively), attributed to an increase in resin cracks and lower levels of Kevlar yarn breakage. The internal damage diameter of specimens was accurately predicted from the diameter of visible damage on the QSI surface. Compared with CCCC and CCKK setups, which are affected by resin cracks formed via the carbon surface on the loading side propagating along the yarn direction (including the yarn settling direction), KCCK demonstrated less delamination between the first and second ply.

Low-velocity impact analysis and multi-objective optimization of hybrid carbon/basalt fibre reinforced composite laminate

Three-dimensional in-plane progressive damage model was developed for carbon/basalt fibre interlayer hybrid composites in this study, and cohesive element model was employed to simulate interlaminar damage. Numerical simulation of low-velocity progressive impact damage of hybrid composite laminate was carried out, and its accuracy was verified by physical impact test, with the maximum error of the maximum contact force, maximum displacement and energy absorption not exceeding 6.1% and the maximum error in damage area size within 4.8%. The effects of lay-up structure and angle on the impact properties of hybrid laminate were investigated through simulation. Finally, real number coding strategy was proposed for the parametric representation of the lay-up material and angle of each layer. Multi-objective optimization of hybrid laminate based on Kriging surrogate model and hybrid algorithm composed of elitist non-dominated sorting genetic (NSGA2) algorithm and multi-objective particle swarm (MPSO) algorithm was conducted. The optimal trade-off solution was selected from the Pareto solutions using technique for ordering preferences by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) coupled with principal component analysis (PCA) methods. The coefficient of variance between peak force and maximum displacement of the optimized laminate was 49.3%, 44.9% and 31.4% lower than those of the pure CFRP laminate, pure BFRP laminate, and hybrid laminate before optimization, respectively, indicating that the balance degree of impact displacement and force has been substantially improved. The progressive impact damage simulation and parametric optimization design methodology proposed in this study provide useful guidance for the design of hybrid composite laminate.

Three‐point bending, interlaminar shear, and impact strength in bioinspired helicoidal basalt fiber/epoxy composites: A comparative experimental analysis

AbstractThis study investigates the mechanical characteristics of basalt fiber/epoxy polymer composites (BPC) inspired by nature's higher‐order designs especially helicoidal structures found in fish scales. The present work includes the experimental analysis of 20‐layered bioinspired BPC composites in single helicoidal ([90/80/70/60/50/40/30/20/10/0]s), and double helicoidal ([130/40/120/30/110/20/100/10/90/0]s) layups. The hand layup technique, followed by the vacuum bagging method, is used to fabricate composite laminates. The layup design significantly influenced the mechanical properties of both helicoidal structures with different stacking sequences, including load capacity, deformation, energy absorption, and fracture modes. Interestingly, failure mechanisms demonstrated both bending and twisting (attributed to specific ply orientation, resulting in a twisting effect) occurring majorly under flexural loading, leading to improved energy absorption. The flexural strength of single helicoidal laminate was observed to be 28.8% higher than double helicoidal laminate design. On the other hand, the double helicoidal laminate showed 46.8% and 19.4% higher interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) and impact resistance properties, respectively, compared to the single helicoidal laminate design. Therefore, this comparative experimental analysis of both stacking structures provides insights into potential changes in conventional stacking sequences and enhances understanding of mechanical responses in bioinspired composites.Highlights Mechanical characterization of bioinspired helicoidal laminates is done. The flexural strength of single helicoidal laminates is 28.8% higher than double helicoidal laminates. Double helicoidal laminates showed better interlaminar shear strength and energy absorption.

A novel conceptual design approach for autonomous underwater helicopter based on multidisciplinary collaborative optimization

Autonomous underwater helicopters (AUHs) are complex electromechanical systems consisting of multiple interconnected sub-disciplines, posing a significant challenge for traditional sequential design strategies in managing their interactions. To address this challenge, a multidisciplinary collaborative optimization (MCO) strategy is proposed, integrating structural, hydrodynamic, and energy disciplines to enhance AUH cruising range. Additionally, a novel approximation model is introduced, combining the Logistic-Tent chaos sparrow search algorithm (LTC-SSA) with the backpropagation neural network (BPNN) algorithm. This method aims to replace costly computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and structural mechanics calculations, thus reducing AUH optimization costs. The laminate design of the composite pressure hull follows classic lamination theory (CLT) and the Tsai-Wu failure criterion. Results demonstrate that the multidisciplinary co-design strategy significantly reduces optimization time costs of AUH, from several months to several days. Furthermore, the proposed LTC-SSA-BPNN algorithm accurately evaluates sailing resistance and Tsai-Wu failure index, with maximum errors of 1.64% and 9.32% respectively. Additionally, the composite pressure shell achieves a 30.4% weight reduction and a 4.1% reduction in sailing resistance while maintaining structural stability. Moreover, the maximum cruising range increases by 34.4%. This strategy offers theoretical support for AUH conceptual design and promises performance enhancement in practical engineering applications.

Aerothermoelastic flutter analysis of variable angle tow composite laminated plates in supersonic flow

A theoretical model is developed to investigate the aerothermoelastic flutter behavior of variable angle tow (VAT) composite laminated plates on elastic foundation in supersonic flow with general boundary conditions. The equations of motion of the VAT composite laminated plate are established by adopting the first-order shear deformation theory and the supersonic piston theory. The composite laminated plate is considered to be lying on an elastic foundation (such as a thermal protection shield) on one side and exposed to supersonic airflow on the other side. The displacement components of the structure are expanded into Chebyshev polynomials multiplied by the boundary characteristic functions to satisfy the geometric or natural boundary conditions. To validate the proposed theoretical model, a finite element (FE) model is also established by ABAQUS, and the numerical results fit well with that of the developed theoretical model. The effects of the boundary conditions, thermal loads, elastic foundations and laminate layouts on the flutter characteristics of the VAT composite plate are revealed and discussed in detail. This work can provide a reference for the dynamic design of the VAT composite laminates in the aerospace engineering.

Design and manufacture of mould-free fibre-reinforced laminates with compound curvature

Composite manufacturing demands mould tooling to produce dimensionally accurate parts, adding substantial capital costs to their production. Recent developments in advanced manufacturing of fibre-reinforced polymer composite elements have seen the implementation of mould-free technologies that can produce complex shaped parts off a flat tool. This paper presents eccentric fibre prestress as a novel mould-free method for producing curvatures within carbon fibre and glass fibre laminates. Tailoring the flexural rigidity along the primary orientation of the laminate is shown to result in predictable compound curvature profiles with a low average root mean square error of 1.39 across the four geometries tested. An analytical model based on Euler–Bernoulli beam theory is proposed and proven to correlate closely with the experiential laminates. Finally, an inverse design approach based on a genetic algorithm is demonstrated to design an accurate laminate configuration, achieving the top surface of a NACA 4412 aerofoil section with a low root mean square error of 1.98 using the proposed eccentric fibre prestress.

Study of Low-Velocity Impact Behavior of Hybrid Fiber-Reinforced Metal Laminates.

In this paper, the low-velocity impact behavior and damage modes of carbon/glass-hybrid fiber-reinforced magnesium alloy laminates (FMLs-H) and pure carbon-fiber-reinforced magnesium alloy laminates (FMLs-C) are investigated using experimental, theoretical modeling, and numerical simulation methods. Low-velocity impact tests were conducted at incident energies of 20 J, 40 J, and 60 J using a drop-weight impact tester, and the load-displacement curves and energy-time curves of the FMLs were recorded and plotted. The results showed that compared with FMLs-C, the stiffness of FMLs-H was slightly reduced, but the peak load and energy absorption were both greatly improved. Finally, a finite element model based on the Abaqus-VUMAT subroutine was developed to simulate the experimental results, and the damage modes of the metal layer, fiber layer, and interlayer were observed and analyzed. The experimental results are in good agreement with the finite element analysis results. The damage mechanisms of two kinds of FMLs under low-velocity impacts are discussed, providing a reference for the design and application of laminates.