An approach to evaluate the impact damage initiation and propagation in composite plates

An approach to evaluate the impact damage initiation and propagation in com posite plates is investigated. It is shown that the main characters of impa ct damage can be predicted by introducing both threshold strength and propa gation strength for matrix cracking. The threshold strength controls whethe r the damage occurs in the composite structures, whereas the propagation st rength determines by which extent the damage develops. Maximum stress and q uadratic stress failure criteria were employed in three failure modes. It h as been revealed from both the simulation and the experiment that there is a small zone of no matrix failure at the centre of impact area in the core for 0.59 J impact. It is shown that this approach has flexible applications at an appropriate stage in the design and research process. (C) 2001 Elsev ier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.