Structural behaviour of fibre metal laminates subjected to a low velocity impact

Abstract

Structural impact tests were first presented to cover typical fibre metal laminates (FMLs) subjected a low velocity projectile impact, which produced the corresponding load-displacement traces and deformation/failure modes for the validation of numerical models. Finite element (FE) models were then developed to simulate the impact behaviour of FMLs tested. The aluminium (alloy grade 2024-0) layer was modelled as an isotropic elasto-plastic material up to the on-set of post failure stage, followed by shear failure and tensile failure to simulate its failure mechanisms. The glass fibre laminate (woven glass-fibre reinforced composite) layer was modelled as an orthotropic material up to its on-set of damage, followed by damage initiation and evolution using the Hashin criterion. The damage initiation was controlled by failure tensile and compressive stresses within the lamina plane which were primarily determined by tests. The damage evolution was controlled by tensile/compressive fracture energies combined with both fibre and matrix. The FE models developed for the 2/1, 3/2 and 4/3 FMLs plates made with 4-ply and 8-ply glass fibre laminate cores were validated against the corresponding experimental results. Good correlation was obtained in terms of load-displacement traces, deformation and failure modes. The validated models were ready to be used to undertake parametric studies to cover FMLs plates made with various stack sequences and composite cores. damage, Hashin criterion, finite element, impact, FMLs, progressive failure

Low velocity impact response of fibre-metal laminates – A review

“…Both experimental and numerical impact study was performed with descriptive data analysis. [46,62,63] 2011 -Influence of specimen size, impactor diameter, number of composite layers, metal layers to low velocity impact was investigated on glare specimens. [33,64] 2011/ 2006 -To diagnose the advantage of titanium as a metal layer on GFRP based FML, low velocity impact test were performed.…”

“…Fan [62,63] investigated the effect of target size, impactor size and the location of impact through numerical simulation. Perforation threshold (or amount of absorbed impacted energy) was the parameter taken to characterize the impact response of above mentioned effects.…”

“…Interfacial debonding between the layers and crack initiation on non-impacted side was manually applied by input the values as analytical steps at appropriate nodal locations and contact time. Including plasticity effects of metal layer, damage model for metal, composite and interface layers are some of its salient features but similar to reference [61][62][63] instead of 3D only 2D based failure criteria was applied to composite layers. This reflects some discrepancies in the damage area evolution.…”

Low‐cycle fatigue delamination initiation and propagation in fibre metal laminates

“…1,2 FMLs have been successfully introduced into the Airbus A380. Currently, FMLs such as GLARE (glass fibre/aluminium), ARALL (aramid fibre/aluminium) and CARAL (carbon fibre/aluminium) attract a number of aircraft manufacturers.…”

“…Currently, FMLs such as GLARE (glass fibre/aluminium), ARALL (aramid fibre/aluminium) and CARAL (carbon fibre/aluminium) attract a number of aircraft manufacturers. 1,2 FMLs have been successfully introduced into the Airbus A380. [3][4][5] For example, ARALL has been developed for the lower wing skin panels of the former Fokker 27 aircraft and the cargo door of the Boeing C-17, 6,7 and GLARE was selected for the Boeing 777 impact resistant bulk cargo floor.…”