The contact behavior between laminated composites and rigid impactors

A general method for analyzing the contact behaviour between a composite la minate and a rigid impactor is presented. The method developed is based on anisotropic elasticity theory of plate by taking into account the normal st ress sigma(z) and the interlaminar shear strains epsilon(yz) and epsilon(xz ). The contact pressure is assumed to be represented by a double Fourier se ries. The relationship between the force F and the indentation alpha is the n obtained by constructing a Green's function of the laminate. The solution of the problem is performed by using the redundant field point method (RFP ). The predictions of the present study agree very well with published expe rimental results. The method can be applied to general symmetric composite laminates to determine the force-indentation relationship, contact pressure and contact area. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.