Influence of oblique low velocity impact on damage behavior of 2D and 3D woven composites: Experimental and numerical methods

The aim of this study is to determine whether 3D woven composites exhibit better mechanical performance in comparison with 2D ones under oblique low velocity impact. For this purpose several glass/unsaturated polyester composite specimens were tested using drop-weight impact test machine in different angles including 0 degrees, 10 degrees, 20 degrees, 30 degrees and 40 degrees. In addition, the finite element package ABAQUS was used to simulate oblique impact event. The impact parameters such as contact force, contact duration, absorbed energy, impactor displacement, as well as damage parameters like damage initiation time and force, damage depth and area and damage intensity were examined. The results showed that absorbed energy, damage initiation time and force as well as damage area on the front side of samples increase with rising impact angle, while damage intensity, damage depth and damage area on the back side of the composites decrease. From evaluation of absorbed energy and damage intensity parameters, it was conclusive that the mechanical performance superiority of 3D composites decreases with increasing impact angle.

Automated summary

The study aimed to compare the mechanical performance of 3D woven composites and 2D composites under oblique low velocity impact. Experimental and simulation results showed that the mechanical superiority of 3D composites decreases as impact angle increases, with changes in factors such as absorbed energy and damage parameters.