Damage and failure analysis of composite stiffened panels under low-velocity impact and compression after impact

Impact resistance and damage tolerance after impact are important performance reference indices in the structural design of composite stiffened panels. The damage evolution and failure mechanism of composite panels with foam-filled hat-stiffeners under low-velocity impact and compression after impact (CAI) at different positions and different energies were studied by experimental and numerical simulation methods. The delamination damage caused by low-velocity impact was captured by ultrasonic phased array C-scan, and a fringe projection profile (FPP) measurement system was employed to measure the full-field buckling deformation and mode evolution of the stiffened composite panel during CAI. A damage model based on the Hashin failure criterion was established to study the complex damage and failure mechanisms, and the interface cohesion behavior embedded in ABAQUS/ Explicit was used to define the interlaminar damage model for characterizing delamination. The interlaminar delamination damage and intralaminar damage behavior in the process of impact and CAI were considered. The results obtained from the numerical simulation and the experimental results were combined to analyze the damage modes of the composite stiffened panel under different impact positions and impact energies and their effects on the damage development and failure during compression.

Automated summary

The study examined the damage evolution and failure mechanisms of composite stiffened panels under low-velocity impact and compression after impact, with a focus on impact resistance and damage tolerance as important performance indicators in structural design. Experimental and numerical methods were used to investigate the delamination damage and deformation behavior during compression, providing insights into the complex damage and failure mechanisms.