Author(s)

R.K. Luo, W.X. Wu, P.G.P. Gahagan & W.J. Mortel

Abstract

Damage generated in carbon/epoxy composite plates with holes under different levels of impact energy R. K. Luo, W X Wu, P G P. Gahagan & W J Mortel Department of Product Design Matalastik Ltd, UK Abstract Many research efforts have been made in the impact evaluation of composite structures without holes or cut-outs. In engineering design and applications it is inevitable to have such lack of continuity in composite structures. The work reported here investigates the damage induced in carbon/epoxy composite plates with holes under 0.44 J and 0.59 J impact. Both the simulation and the experiment show that there is only one matrix crack between the impact point and the holes under 0.44 J impact whereas there are two parallel matrix cracks under 0.59 J impact. From simulation of 0.44 J impact the crack initiates at impact point and propagates towards the holes. From simulation of 0.59 J impact one crack (originating crack) initiates at the point of impact and propagates to

Keywords