Finite Element Simulations of Composite Vehicle Structures under Impact Loading

Abstract : A finite element model for progressive in-plane damage and interfacial delamination was presented for cross-ply composite laminates. The commercial finite element software ABAQUS/STANDARD was used for this study. Each composite lamina was modeled as layers of shell elements based on Mindlin's plate theory. Displacement continuity was established across the layers of shell elements. Interlaminar stresses were recovered at the interface with the use of multi-point constraints. Several material constitutive relations were developed to simulate in-plane damage, such as fiber breakage, matrix cracking and in-plane shear failure. Delamination was simulated by removing the displacement constraints. Cross-ply composite laminates were subjected to impact loading. The results from the finite element analysis compared well with the experimental results.

[1]  Robert L. Taylor,et al.  A constitutive model for anisotropic damage in fiber-composites , 1995 .

[2]  Alastair Johnson,et al.  Modelling fabric reinforced composites under impact loads , 2001 .

[3]  Z. Hashin,et al.  A Fatigue Failure Criterion for Fiber Reinforced Materials , 1973 .

[4]  J. Yu,et al.  Finite element modeling of delamination by layerwise shell element allowing for interlaminar displacements , 2003 .

[5]  J. C. Klug,et al.  Efficient modeling of postbuckling delamination growth in composite laminates using plate elements , 1996 .

[6]  Ning Hu,et al.  Low-velocity impact-induced damage of continuous fiber-reinforced composite laminates. Part I. An FEM numerical model , 2002 .

[7]  F. J. Mello,et al.  Modeling the Initiation and Growth of Delaminations in Composite Structures , 1996 .

[8]  F. Chang,et al.  Modelling of splitting and delamination in notched cross-ply laminates , 2000 .

[9]  Z. Hashin.  Failure Criteria for Unidirectional Fiber Composites , 1980 .

[10]  P.M.S.T. de Castro,et al.  Interface element including point‐to‐surface constraints for three‐dimensional problems with damage propagation , 2000 .

[11]  Sunil N. Gulrajani,et al.  A Numerical and Experimental Study of Delaminated Layered Composites , 1994 .

[12]  Stephen R Reid,et al.  Application of a delamination model to laminated composite structures , 2002 .

[13]  Ted Belytschko,et al.  Continuum Theory for Strain‐Softening , 1984 .

[14]  C. Sun,et al.  A double-plate finite-element model for the impact-induced delamination problem , 1995 .

[15]  F. Chang,et al.  A Progressive Damage Model for Laminated Composites Containing Stress Concentrations , 1987 .

[16]  Fu-Kuo Chang,et al.  Damage Tolerance of Laminated Composites Containing an Open Hole and Subjected to Compressive Loadings: Part I—Analysis , 1991 .

[17]  George S. Springer,et al.  Delaminations in composite plates under transverse static or impact loads - A model , 1993 .

[18]  Lan Xu,et al.  Stress analysis of imperfect composite laminates with an interlaminar bonding theory , 1994 .

[19]  Dahsin Liu,et al.  Impact-Induced Delamination—A View of Bending Stiffness Mismatching , 1988 .

[20]  Werner Wagner,et al.  Delamination growth analysis in laminated structures with continuum-based 3D-shell elements and a viscoplastic softening model , 2000 .

[21]  Ran Y. Kim,et al.  Experimental and Analytical Studies On the Onset of Delamination in Laminated Composites , 1984 .

[22]  C. Sun,et al.  Failure Analysis of Composite Laminates with Free Edge , 1990 .

[23]  Anthony M. Waas,et al.  Computational Modeling of Damage Growth in Composite Laminates , 2002 .

[24]  N. Pagano,et al.  Exact Solutions for Composite Laminates in Cylindrical Bending , 1969 .

[25]  Z. Bažant,et al.  Nonlocal Smeared Cracking Model for Concrete Fracture , 1988 .

[26]  S. E. Yamada,et al.  Analysis of Laminate Strength and Its Distribution , 1978 .

[27]  C. Sun,et al.  On the Impact of Initially Stressed Composite Laminates , 1985 .

[28]  John C. Brewer,et al.  Quadratic Stress Criterion for Initiation of Delamination , 1988 .

[29]  M.F.S.F. de Moura,et al.  Prediction of low velocity impact damage in carbon–epoxy laminates , 2002 .

[30]  Fu-Kuo Chang,et al.  An Accumulative Damage Model for Tensile and Shear Failures of Laminated Composite Plates , 1995 .

[31]  Anthony J. Vizzini,et al.  The Inclusion of In-Plane Stresses in Delamination Criteria , 2001 .

[32]  Fu-Kuo Chang,et al.  Damage in graphite/epoxy laminated composites resulting from low-velocity impact , 1991 .

[33]  T. C. Kennedy,et al.  A simple nonlocal damage model for predicting failure of notched laminates , 1996 .

[34]  Ya‐Jung Lee,et al.  Experiments and simulation of the static contact crush of composite laminated plates , 2003 .

[35]  Alberto Corigliano,et al.  Damage analysis of interlaminar fracture specimens , 1995 .

[36]  J. Reddy.  A Simple Higher-Order Theory for Laminated Composite Plates , 1984 .

[37]  Lothar Kroll,et al.  Physically Based Failure Criterion for Dimensioning of Thick-Walled Laminates , 1997 .

[38]  C. F. Lia,et al.  Low-velocity impact-induced damage of continuous fiber-reinforced composite laminates . Part I . An FEM numerical model , 2002 .

[39]  Zdenek P. Bazant,et al.  Why Continuum Damage is Nonlocal: Micromechanics Arguments , 1991 .

[40]  Fu-Kuo Chang,et al.  A Model for Predicting Damage in Graphite/Epoxy Laminated Composites Resulting from Low-Velocity Point Impact , 1992 .

[41]  Dahsin Liu,et al.  An Overall View of Laminate Theories Based on Displacement Hypothesis , 1996 .

[42]  Stephen R Hallett,et al.  Prediction of impact damage in composite plates , 2000 .

[43]  Alastair Johnson,et al.  Computational methods for predicting impact damage in composite structures , 2001 .

[44]  Reza Vaziri,et al.  Application of a damage mechanics model for predicting the impact response of composite materials , 2001 .

[45]  L. J. Hart-Smith,et al.  A New Approach to Fibrous Composite Laminate Strength Prediction , 1990 .

[46]  R. K. Luo,et al.  Impact damage analysis of composite plates , 1999 .

[47]  Ronald C. Averill,et al.  A mesh-independent interface technology for simulation of mixed-mode delamination growth , 2004 .

[48]  Stephen R Reid,et al.  Mode separation of energy release rate for delamination in composite laminates using sublaminates , 2001 .