Low-velocity Impact Loading Research Articles

Prestressed concrete slabs subjected to low-velocity impact: Theoretical analysis model and design method

Bidirectional bonded prestressed concrete (PS) structures are widely used in energy engineering structures due to their excellent impermeability. Owing to the particularity of the structure and the severity of damage consequences, the impact dynamic performance of bidirectional bonded PS structures has been widely concerned. Nonetheless, the existing researches focus on the test and finite element, and lacks the theoretical analysis model that can consider the whole process of load action, let alone the corresponding anti-impact design method. Therefore, based on the existing test and finite element results, the resistance function model of bidirectional bonded PS slab is proposed in this paper, and the anti-impact design method is formed. Firstly, the performance of specimens under low-velocity impact loading and quasi-static loading conditions is compared, and the effects of inertia force and material strain rate on the dynamic performance of specimens under low-velocity impact are further explored. Then, a resistance function theoretical analysis model that can consider the whole process of load action is proposed with a quadrilinear form, and the analytical expressions of resistance and stiffness at characteristic points are derived. Subsequently, the accuracy of the resistance function model is verified based on the existing test results. Furthermore, based on the resistance function model, the influence laws of compressive strength of concrete, prestressing degree, reinforcement ratio of reinforcement and slab thickness on slab resistance are analyzed. Finally, an anti-impact design method considering perforation and scabbing failure is proposed, and the feasibility of the design method is verified by impact test results.

Effect mechanism of low-velocity impact loading rate on the failure modes transition of steel-UHPC-steel composite plates

This study delved into the transition mechanism of loading rate on the failure mode transition in steel-ultra-high performance concrete-steel (SUHPCS) composite plates under concentrated low-velocity impact loads. A series of drop-weight tests elucidated that, as impact velocity escalated, the composite plate shifts from local punching failure, characterized by circumferential cracks, to overall flexural failure, marked by radial cracks resembling yield lines. Given the constraints in capturing strain data in drop-weight test, a 3D nonlinear structural analysis using Abaqus software was conducted. This numerical simulation method was validated by drop-weight test results in terms of crack patterns and impact force time histories. Moreover, structural dynamic punching and flexural loads at a specific loading rate were obtained with the assistance of the dynamic increase factor (DIF). Failure mode could be judged through comparison between the two critical loads. The discrepancy in strain sensitivity exhibited by steel plates and UHPC accounted for the transition in failure modes of the SUHPCS composite plates. DIFs for UHPC compressive strength and steel plate strength were lower than DIF for UHPC tensile strength, as these factors were around 1.5, 1.7 and 2.6, respectively. Parameter analysis showed that the critical transition impact velocity for a composite plate with a core thickness of 80 mm was 11 m/s, surpassing the 13 m/s threshold for a composite plate with a 100 mm-thick core. Moreover, changes in DIFs of UHPC and steel strengths were less than 2 % with various impact masses and the composite plate maintained the same failure mode.

Numerical investigation on auxetic angle-ply CFRP composite laminates under low-velocity impact loading

Numerical investigation on auxetic angle-ply CFRP composite laminates under low-velocity impact loading

Numerically efficient analysis of FRP confined CFST members under lateral low-velocity impact loading

Numerically efficient analysis of FRP confined CFST members under lateral low-velocity impact loading

Investigation of shear thickening fluid (STF) impregnated interlayer hybrid composites under low-velocity impact loading

Investigation of shear thickening fluid (STF) impregnated interlayer hybrid composites under low-velocity impact loading

Effects of Rubber Core on the Mechanical Behaviour of the Carbon-Aramid Composite Materials Subjected to Low-Velocity Impact Loading Considering Water Absorption.

The large-scale use of composite materials reinforced with carbon-aramid hybrid fabric in various outdoor applications, which ensures increased mechanical resistance including in impact loadings, led to the need to investigate the effects of aggressive environmental factors (moisture absorption, temperature, thermal cycles, ultra-violet rays) on the variation of their mechanical properties. Since the literature is still lacking in research on this topic, this article aims to compare the low-velocity impact behaviour of two carbon-aramid hybrid composite materials (with and without rubber core) and to investigate the effects of water absorption on impact properties. The main objectives of this research were as follows: (i) the investigation of the mechanical behavior in tests for two impact energies of 25 J and 50 J; (ii) comparison of the results obtained in terms of the force, displacement, velocity, and energy related to the time; (iii) analysis of the water absorption data; (iii) low-velocity impact testing of wet specimens after saturation; (iv) comparison between the impact behaviour of the wet specimens with that of the dried ones. One of the main findings was that for the wet specimens without rubber core, absorbed impact energy was 16% less than the one recorded for dried specimens at an impact energy of 50 J. The failure modes of the dried specimens without rubber core are breakage for both carbon and aramid fibres, matrix cracks, and delamination at matrix-fibre interfaces. The degradation for the wet specimens with rubber core is much more pronounced because the decrease in the absorbed impact energy was 53.26% after 10,513 h of immersion in water and all the layers were broken.

Damage quantification based on drift ratios and axial capacity degradation for RC columns under low-velocity impact loads

Damage determination and quantification are critical issues in conducting damage assessment and performance-based design for RC columns under low-velocity impact loads. An impediment in these issues lies in defining reasonable damage criteria. To this end, a framework inspired by existing experimental results is proposed to quantify the damage of RC columns. The core concept of this framework is to establish the relationship between the engineering demand parameter (i.e., drift ratio) and the damage index based on residual axial capacity and to convert the damage index threshold to the drift ratio threshold using a reliability-based method. According to the proposed framework, damage criteria are developed for RC columns in two typical impact scenarios, including the mid-span and near-base impacts. During this process, linear relationships between the maximum drift and the residual one at the impact location are developed by statistically analyzing the existing experimental data (a total of 212 test samples). Based on experimentally validated numerical models, empirical formulas for estimating the residual axial capacity of RC columns are established. The maximum drift, the residual drift, and the axial capacity degradation are interrelated in the proposed damage criteria, overcoming the limitation that the current deformation-based damage criteria used for low-velocity impact loads lack physical significance.

Investigating the low velocity impact response of additively manufactured tri-material composite structure with application on helmet

Additively manufactured composite structures can be utilized in the production of engineering materials with enhanced mechanical properties. In this work, mono-, bi-, and tri-material structures (MMS, BMS, and TMS, respectively) were fabricated using additively manufactured PLA (poly-lactic acid) lattice frames embedded with Polyurethane (PU) foam and milled glass fibers (MGFs). TMS samples were reinforced with MGFs at 1.25, 2.5, 3.75, and 5.0 vol%, indicated as TMS-1, TMS-2, TMS-3, and TMS-4, respectively. The mechanical response of these composite structures was tested by applying a low-velocity impact load. The effects of MGF content and variations in applied impact energy, and variation in microstructure on the composite samples were investigated. Results revealed an enhanced mechanical response of TMS samples compared to MMS and BMS. Additionally, with increasing applied impact energy, the TMS samples showed an improved corresponding response, with a peak absorbed energy of 96.03% of the applied 60 J energy. Furthermore, to study the applicability of the composite structures in real-life applications, helmet prototypes made of MMS, BMS, and TMS were designed and tested under the applied low-velocity load, showing an improved response of TMS helmet samples compared to the other composite structures.

Delamination propagation manipulation of composite laminates under low-velocity impact and residual compressive strength evaluation

The poor delamination resistance of laminated composites is always regarded as a potential threat to the service safety of the primary load-bearing structure. However, delamination is inevitable during low-velocity impact (LVI) events, as a result, the residual compressive strength of laminates is significantly reduced. Discrete interleaving is a novel strategy to enhance the damage tolerance of these composites, yet the damage mechanism of laminates modified by this method is more complicated. In this paper, we investigated the delamination failure mechanism of quasi-isotropic laminates through thermal deply experiment, and proposed a discrete interleaving scheme based on its damage characteristics. Accordingly, a series of LVI and compression-after-impact (CAI) tests were conducted to validate the design philosophy. Besides, the damage constitutive relation and evolution model applicable to discrete interleaved laminates were explored in detail, a numerical model embedded strain-rate-dependent progressive damage criterion and modified cohesive zone model was established to further study the damage mechanism. Experimental and numerical results exhibit excellent alignment. The results demonstrate that the CAI strength is enhanced by 16.48 % according to the proposed discrete interleaving method. The main reason is attributed to the employed method can manipulate the delamination propagation during the low-velocity impact loading, and then maneuver the compressive failure mode of laminates to achieve a favorable benign failure (implying higher CAI strength).

Experimental investigation on the horizontal impact response of precast RC bridge piers with grouted sleeve connections considering defects

To investigate the behaviour of precast bridge piers with grouted sleeve connections under horizontal low-velocity impact loads, twelve precast reinforced concrete (RC) bridge pier specimens and two cast-in-place reference specimens were tested to study the effect of grouting defect degree, impact velocity and fabricated method (precast vs. cast-in-place) on the impact response of RC piers. The failure modes, rebar strains, impact forces, displacement, and energy dissipation capacity of both cast-in-place and precast specimens were compared and analyzed. The results indicate that due to inertial effects induced by impact loading, the peak impact forces were three to seven times greater than the peak static loads. Transverse cracks were more likely to initiate in the grout layer for precast specimens, with diagonal cracks extending from the loading position to the pier bottom after impact. As horizontal impact velocity increased, the impact force, maximum displacement, and energy absorption ratio also significantly increased. The impact force-time curves of the pier specimens with grouting fullness ranging from 30 % to 100 % showed minimal differences compared to the cast-in-place specimen. A decrease in grouting fullness led to an increase in the maximum displacement of the pier specimens and reduced the transmission of impact waves between the reinforcement bars.

Response of short jute fibre preform based epoxy composites subjected to low-velocity impact loadings

This work aimed to investigate the low velocity impact behaviour of short jute fibre non-woven preform epoxy matrix composites experimentally. Dry fibre preforms were developed using an optimised process and a laboratory made preforming device. The effects of alkali and poly vinyl alcohol (PVA binder) treatments on impact performances of jute composites were investigated and compared at 3 J and 6 J impact energy levels. To identify the failure modes of tested composites, the X-ray µCT tomography was employed. The results demonstrated that the developed untreated short jute fibre preform reinforced composites absorbed a higher impact energy, when they were compared to treated (alkali or PVA binder) composites. For untreated composites, maximum impact forces at 3 J and 6 J energies, were found as ⁓2478 N and ⁓2319 N, respectively; for the PVA treatment these values were measured as ⁓2457 N and ⁓2216 N, while, at same energy levels, alkali treated composites showed the lowest values as ⁓1683 N and ⁓1440 N, respectively. Untreated jute fibre contains natural matrices such as hemicellulose, lignin and waxes, which ensured a positive response to absorb more energy upon impact loading. In contrast, the alkali treatment facilitates a highly fibre packed composite structure, which accelerated the impact crack propagation in tested composites, resulting in lower resistance to impact energy. Although, PVA treated composites showed reduced impact properties compared to untreated composites due to the PVA polymer brittleness on the treated fibre surface during the impact incidents, this treatment demonstrated better impact responses over the alkali treatment. The application of PVA binder on alkali-treated fibres provided an extra support to fibres and a better fibre/matrix interface and hence, this combined treatment demonstrated a slightly better impact resistance (⁓2027 N and ⁓1874 N impact forces at 3 J and 6 J respectively) compared to only alkali treated fibre composites. The SEM fracture images and the X-ray µCT damage analysis revealed different impact damage modes, which supported the observed impact results. The obtained results from this investigation could be helpful for using short jute fibre composites in various load demanding applications where impact incidents are likely to be happened.

On low velocity impact response of Sandwich composite with jute/epoxy facesheet and cenosphere reinforced functionally graded Core: Experimental and finite element approach

AbstractThe assessment of energy absorption behavior has a vital role in determining suitability of lightweight composites for impact protection applications. This study focuses on evaluating the energy absorption characteristics of cenosphere reinforced epoxy syntactic foam core and jute epoxy facesheet sandwich composite subjected to low velocity impact. The syntactic foam is composed of lightweight cenospheres embedded within an epoxy matrix, resulting in a high‐strength and lightweight composite material. Low velocity impact tests were conducted using a drop tower apparatus to simulate realistic impact conditions. The impact force, energy absorption and damage mitigation of the syntactic foam specimens with varied weight percentage of Cenosphere (0%, 10%, 20% and 30%) were measured and analyzed to assess the energy absorption behavior. The gradation revealed that the weight of top layer when compared to bottom layer is 50.49%, 70.23% and 95.74% less in syntactic foam core with 10, 20 and 30 wt% Cenosphere respectively, indicating gradation. The study demonstrates that the addition of Cenosphere up to 20 wt% enhances the energy absorption capacity of the sandwich composites by 59.37%–93.44% compared to sandwich without Cenosphere reinforced core. However, beyond this threshold, a decline in energy absorption is observed when subjected to low‐velocity impact (LVI). Fractography analysis demonstrates that the incorporation of Cenosphere induces a rough fracture surface with deep river‐like topography, indicative of greater energy absorption during impact loading. This substantiates the conclusion that Cenosphere‐reinforced syntactic foams exhibit enhanced impact resistance, making them promising materials for structures subjected to low‐velocity impact events.Highlights Development of functionally graded core sandwich composite for low velocity impact applications. Assessing the performance of developed composites under low velocity impact loading. Determining the optimal weight percentage of cenospshere in functionally graded core. Studying the fractography of developed sandwich composites. Corelation between experimental and finite element studies.

Inter-layer failure and toughening mechanisms of carbon/aramid hybrid fiber composites interleaved with micro/nano pulps under low-velocity impact load

Hybrid fiber-reinforced polymer (HFRP) composites are widely used in aerospace structures because of their excellent overall performance. However, it is still challenging to address the issue of high sensitivity to delamination between dissimilar material interlayers in HFRP composites. This study combines experimental and numerical simulation to analyze the low-velocity impact behavior and interlaminar damage of two types of HFRP. Based on a micromechanical model, an equivalent aramid pulp (eAP) toughening laminate model is developed. The impact behavior of the HFRP toughen by eAP only in dissimilar material interlayers is simulated based on the model. The effect of eAP areal density on the impact behavior and evolution of interlaminar damage is analyzed. Results show that the maximum force and impact stiffness of eAP-toughened HFRP increase initially with the increase in eAP areal density, and then decrease slowly. The area and extent of damage of dissimilar material interlayers in eAP toughened laminates is significantly reduced. Finally, the interlaminar toughening and failure mechanisms by eAP-toughening only in dissimilar material interlayers of the HFRP composites are systematically revealed from fiber bridging and damage transfer perspectives.

Dynamic behaviors of seismic-designed RC beams under asymmetrical low-velocity impact loads

Seismic-designed reinforced concrete (RC) structures could be subjected to asymmetrical low-velocity impact loads, e.g., vehicle/barge collisions and rockfall impacts, while existing studies mainly focus on the dynamic responses of symmetrical impacted scenarios. This study experimentally and numerically examined the influence of stirrup ratio and impact location on failure modes and impact behaviors of RC beams. Firstly, symmetrical and asymmetrical drop-weight tests were conducted on six RC beams, and digital image correlation technique was applied to capture the damage evolution process and dynamic responses. Then, the above test was reproduced to validate the applicability of the finite element analyses approach, and numerical simulations were further performed to explore the transformation mechanism of the failure mode of asymmetrical impacted beams. The results showed that, (i) the shear-bending capacity ratio of the beam decreased with the stirrup ratio increasing or the impact location moving towards the mid-span, causing its failure mode to transform from shear to flexural under asymmetrical impact loads; (ii) the shear bearing capacity mainly controlled the occurrence of concrete cracking of asymmetrical impacted beams, and moment bending capacity influenced the post-cracked performance; (iii) increasing the stirrup ratio improved the joint action between longitudinal bars and stirrups and enhance the confinement effect on concrete, reducing the damage degree and deformation of asymmetrical impacted beam; (iv) under the effect of shear wave propagation, asymmetrical impacted beams completed the global impact process faster than symmetrical impacted ones. Finally, a two-degree-of freedom model was established to quickly calculate the displacement-time history at the impact location of asymmetrical impacted beams. The current work could provide a helpful reference for the impact-resistant design of RC structures against asymmetrical impact loads.

Comparative Performance of Kevlar, Glass and Basalt Epoxy- and Elium-Based Composites under Static-, Low- and High-Velocity Loading Scenarios-Introduction to an Effective Recyclable and Eco-Friendly Composite.

In general, the majority of fiber-reinforced polymer composites (FRPs) used in structural applications comprise carbon, glass, and aramid fibers reinforced with epoxy resin, with the occasional utilization of polyester and vinyl ester resins. This study aims to assess the feasibility of utilizing recyclable and sustainable materials to create a resilient composite suitable for structural applications, particularly in scenarios involving low-velocity and high-velocity impact (LVI, HVI) loading. The paper presents a comparative analysis of the performance of E-glass, aramid, and eco-friendly basalt-reinforcing fabrics as reinforcement fibers in both thermosetting (epoxy) and recyclable thermoplastic (Elium©) resins. Given the limited research on Elium composites, especially those incorporating basalt-reinforcing fiber, there is an urgent need to expand the databases of fundamental mechanical properties for these diverse composites. This necessity is exacerbated by the scarcity of the literature regarding their performance under low- and high-velocity impact loadings. The results of this study will demonstrate the potential of basalt-reinforced Elium composite as an effective recyclable and environmentally friendly structural material system for both static and dynamic loading conditions.

Dynamic mechanical behaviors of load-bearing battery structure upon low-velocity impact loading in electric vehicles

As the electrification trend of vehicles continues, new energy vehicles such as electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) are being equipped with new functional energy storage devices demanding a trade-off between electrical and mechanical property. Accordingly, composite-battery integrated structures which simultaneously carry mechanical resistance and energy-storage capacity, are being explored to offer great potential for the next generation of EVs or PHEVs. Herein, the dynamic responses and failure mechanisms of the integrated structure under the commonly occurring low-velocity impact events are studied both experimentally and numerically. A macro-scale finite element (FE) model was developed by implementing constitutive models of component materials, including lithium‐ion polymer (LiPo) battery cells, polymer foams, and carbon fiber-reinforced polymers (CFRP). The numerical method demonstrates good feasibility and accurately predicts impact behaviors, with the maximum error of the peak impact load not exceeding 8 %. The integrated structures are proven to reduce mechanical damage while maintaining mechanical and electrochemical performance within a range of impacts. The electrical and mechanical behaviors and their correlations were revealed. Sensitivity of the mechanical behaviors and electrical failure to battery arrangement were discussed as well as the structure design on energy absorption capacity. These results hold significant potential for the safety and lightweight design of energy storage composite structures incorporating lithium-ion batteries.

Behavior of unbonded prestressed concrete slabs subjected to low-velocity impact loading

This study examines the structural performance of unbonded prestressed concrete slabs subjected to low-velocity impact loading. The experiment involved impact loading tests on reinforced concrete (RC) slabs and prestressed concrete (PC) slabs using a drop hammer impact test system. The prestressing force was monitored using intelligent steel strands before the PC slabs were subjected to impact testing. The failure mode, impact force, and displacement response of the specimens were recorded. The study investigated the effects of impact energy, prestress level, and boundary conditions on dynamic damage and response of the specimens. Results showed that RC slabs and unidirectional simply supported PC (PCU) slabs exhibited typical flexural failure modes, while bidirectional supported PC (PCB) slabs experienced a combination of flexural and shear failure modes. Furthermore, PC slabs demonstrated superior impact resistance. A finite element (FE) model was developed to predict the impact behavior of RC and PC slabs and was validated using the failure modes, impact forces, and displacements obtained from the experimental results. The impact process and energy dissipation were also analyzed using the FE model.

Numerical Investigation on the Capability of Modeling Approaches for Composite Cylinders under Low-Velocity Impact Loading

Composite pressure vessels can be exposed to extreme loadings, for instance, impact loading, during manufacturing, maintenance, or their service lifetime. These kinds of loadings may provoke both visible and invisible levels of damage, e.g., fiber breakage matrix cracks and delamination and eventually may lead to catastrophic failures. Thus, the quantification and evaluation of such damages are of great importance. Considering the cost of relevant full-scale experiments, a numerical model can be a powerful tool for such a kind of study. This paper aims to provide a numerical study to investigate the capability of different modeling methods to predict delamination in composite vessels. In this study, various numerical modeling aspects, such as element types (solid and shell elements) and material parameters (such as interface properties), were considered to investigate delamination in a composite pressure vessel under low-velocity impact loading. Specifically, solid elements were used to model each layer of the composite pressure vessel, while, in another model, shell elements with composite layup were considered. Compared with the available experimental data from low-velocity impact tests described in the literature, the capability of these two models to predict both mechanical responses and failure phenomena is shown.

Similarity laws of geometric distortion for stiffened plate under low velocity impact loads

As a thin-walled structure, it is impractical or uneconomical to scale the thickness of stiffened plate with the same scale factor as the length, which leads to geometric distortion and the failure of traditional similarity laws. In this study, firstly, the common stiffened plate structure in engineering is selected as the object, and a reasonable equivalent technique for transforming stiffened plate into double-plate structure is proposed, which is named relative plastic capacity equivalence. Then, based on the ODLV system, the similarity law of geometric distortion for beam/plate structure is compared, and the Zhao's response number of stiffened plate is derived, from which the similarity law of co-direction geometric distortion for stiffened plate is obtained expanding the object of single thin-walled plates for the ODLV system. The similarity law of hetero-direction geometric distortion for the stiffened plate structure is derived under the premise that the relative plastic capacity K of stiffeners would be constant between the scaled model and the prototype. Satisfying this premise, the yield stress of the stiffener material and the number of stiffeners along x and y directions in the plane can both be adjusted. The similarity laws of co-direction and hetero-direction geometric distortion for stiffened plates are numerically validated through several mass-impacted stiffened plates. The results show that the similarity laws can enable the geometrically distorted stiffened plate model to predict the dynamic responses of the prototype structure, such as displacement, velocity, energy and impact force.

Effect of impact and flexural loading on hybrid composite made of kevlar and natural fibers

In this work, four varieties of hybrid Fiber-Reinforced Polymer (FRP) panels made of kevlar-29 and natural fibers are studied. All panels have kevlar-29 face sheets and natural fiber core, such as jute, flax, sisal, and hemp. This research focuses on the behavior of these hybrid FRP panels under flexural and impact loading so that the panels can be explored for the structural/semi-structural members of army shelters, portable helipad, and roofing panels in high-altitude areas. Natural fibers are chemically treated with NaOH to improve hydrophobicity. The panels are vacuum bagged, the fiber volume fraction is 0.39, and the thickness is close to 4 mm. Three-point flexural loading using the universal testing machine and low-velocity impact loading up to 24 J under drop weight impact test setup is carried out to characterize the panels. Damage area, delamination, permanent deformation, indentation depth, energy absorbed, flexural strength, and modulus are measured. The hybrid flax/kevlar panel and hemp/kevlar panel, each resist impact with permanent deformation less than 0.5 mm up to 24 J. Without significant face sheet or core fiber breakage, the delamination is spread over a small radial distance of 18.5 and 24.5 mm, respectively. Interface matrix breakage causes delamination. The load vs deflection curve is almost linear under flexural loading, and specimens failed under compression at 240 MPa. The numerical simulation is also done using ANSYS and LS-DYNA for detailed study.