Size effects on impact response of composite laminates

Delamination was known to be one of the most important damage modes in composite laminates subjected to impact loading. In an effort to further understand the impact response of composite laminates, various degrees of impact ranging from subperforation to perforation were introduced to glass/epoxy laminates through an instrumented drop-weight impactor. In addition, composite laminates of various in-plane dimensions and thicknesses were examined for in-plane dimensional and thickness effects, respectively. Experimental results showed that in-plane dimensional effect was not as significant as thickness effect. The impacted composite laminates were then subjected to compression after impact (CAI) tests for characterizations of residual mechanical properties. Experimental results showed that perforation was the most important damage stage in composite laminates subjected to impact loading since impact characteristics (peak force, contact duration and absorbed energy) and mechanical properties degradation (residual compressive maximum force and residual compressive absorbed energy) of composite laminates became stable once perforation took place. However. it was also found that delamination played a very important role in the characterizations of mechanical properties degradation. Since the impact response of composite laminates is due to plate bending to some extent, bending analysis was used to explain the greater influence of thickness effect to in-plane dimensional effect. It was also found that bending analysis was feasible for interpretation of delamination in mechanical properties degradation. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.