Experimental and numerical analysis of drop-weight low-velocity impact tests on hybrid titanium composite laminates. (November 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Reiner, Johannes; Torres, Juan Pablo; Veidt, Martin; Heitzmann, Michael
• Is Part Of: Journal of composite materials. Volume 50:Number 26(2016)
• Page Start: 3605
• Page End: 3617
• Publication Date: 2016-11
• Subjects: Impact behaviour -- finite element analysis (FEA) -- damage mechanics -- fibre metal laminates; Composite materials -- Periodicals; Composites -- Périodiques; 620.118
• DOI: 10.1177/0021998315624002
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0021-9983

Abstract

An experimental and numerical study on low-velocity impact responses on [Ti/0/90] s hybrid titanium composite laminates (HTCLs) is presented. Different energy levels from 10 to 40 J are investigated using a drop-weight instrument and post-impact inspection. An explicit finite element implementation provides a detailed analysis of impact response in composite and titanium layers, respectively. It accounts for interfacial debonding, progressive failure in composite plies and elastic–plastic deformation in titanium. The main failure modes are experimentally and numerically found to be debonding between titanium and composite, matrix cracking and interlaminar delamination. The principal energy-absorbing mechanism is plastic dissipation of the two titanium sheets. The low cost numerical model is able to effectively predict the overall impact response and major failure modes with good accuracy.