Computational and Experimental Study of Energy Absorption Metter by Composite Structures

The main goal of this research is to evaluate and compare the ability to absorb energy due to impact by two types of basic composite structures (conic and cylinder). Structures made of glass-epoxy composite with the properties taken from tests were analyzed using classic laminate theory. Most of the design process will base on Finite Element Method (FEM) calculations conducted with commercial explicit code. Numeric results were compared with experimental results. Using results from the tests the energy absorbed by the basic composite structures was estimated. The preliminary results of the dynamic simulations compared with the experimental readings shows the excellent coincidence. At the next stages of calculations authors decided to pay more attention on the problem of delamination modeling. This way better correctness of failure phenomena in composite structure will be possible to describe using numerical methods. In this new approach, which is currently during the testing phase, the delamination model with special finite elements is developed. In conclusion one must admit that the designing of the structures from the glass-based composites with an energy absorption comparable or better than that of metal constructions is possible. However, because of a still insufficient knowledge about composite mechanics and the quality of changeable parameters concerning the designing of composite structures, it is much more complicated to find an optimal structural solution than in the case of metals.