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Modelling of impact damage zones in composite laminates for strength after impact

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 January 2016

R. Olsson*
Affiliation:
Swerea SICOMP AB, Mölndal, Sweden

Abstract

This paper reviews findings on the type, morphology and constitutive behaviour of impact damage zones during loading after impact and their effect on the laminate strength and stability. The paper is limited to tape prepreg based monolithic laminates, although some similarities exist with impact damage in textile based laminates. Damage zones have a complex geometry with several damage types, which results in an interaction and competition between different failure mechanisms, e.g. local and global buckling, compressive failure, and delamination growth. Hence, simplified damage models may provide incorrect predictions of the failure load and failure mechanisms after impact. The constitutive behaviour of damage zones has been studied experimentally in tension and compression using an inverse method, and the results have been compared with detailed FE models of a generic impact damage. The paper is concluded with a discussion on analytical and computational models to predict the resulting strength of impacted laminates.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Royal Aeronautical Society 2012 

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