Experimental and numerical investigation of low velocity impacts of fibre-metal laminates

In this work, an experimental and numerical investigation into the impact behaviour of fibremetal laminates (FMLs) subject to low velocity impact is conducted. The study investigates the damage initiation and progression of FMLs in order to characterise and represent the complex damage responses and deformation that lead to strength and stiffness loss. Low velocity impact tests were experimentally conducted using a drop-test impact rig. Numerical analysis was conducted using Abaqus/Explicit, with damage models incorporated to represent in-plane composite damage, delamination, elastic-plastic behaviour of the metal layers at high strain rates, and failure in the adhesive layers. In addition to plastic deformation of the aluminium layers, matrix cracking, fibre failure and delamination of the composite glassepoxy prepreg were observed as critical damage modes. The numerical simulations exhibited good correlation with experimental impact tests in terms of kinematic response and damage development.