Low-velocity impact behavior of 3D woven structural honeycomb composite

This paper describes the in-plane impact behavior of 3D woven honeycomb sandwich composites comprising glass fiber reinforced epoxy composite. In this study, 3D woven honeycomb structures with similar cell shapes were developed with different cell geometry by varying the cell size, free wall length, bonded wall length, opening angle, and the number of honeycomb layers keeping the overall thickness of the composite constant. The variation of cell geometry was carried out by changing the number of picks in the honeycomb walls. Composite samples were made using VARIM (vacuum-assisted resin infusion method) process. The behavior of the force-displacement curve and the energy-time relationship under impact loading of 100 J were analyzed. The total energy absorption was determined for different cell geometry and the number of layers of the honeycomb composites. The results showed that structural changes in honeycomb composite significantly affect the specific energy absorption. The specific energy absorption increases with a large cell size, less opening angle, higher wall length, and a greater number of layers.

Automated summary

This study investigates the in-plane impact behavior of 3D woven honeycomb sandwich composites by varying the cell geometry. Different honeycomb structures were developed and analyzed for their force-displacement curve and energy-time relationship. The results indicate that the specific energy absorption of the honeycomb composites is significantly influenced by changes in cell size, opening angle, wall length, and number of layers.