Finite element analysis of dynamic responses of composite pressure vessels under low velocity impact by using a three-dimensional laminated media model

This paper aims to study dynamic structural responses and failure mechanisms of composite pressure vessels subjected to low velocity impact. First, a three-dimensional laminated media model based on sub-laminate theory is introduced for intralaminar damage, where Puck's failure criteria and strain based damage evolution laws for fiber and matrix are used. The impact responses of composite pressure vessels can be calculated based on sub-laminates and the fiber and matrix damage are predicted based on each ply by using this approach. Second, the proposed laminated media model is implemented using ABAQUS/Explicit user-defined material subroutine VUMAT by the time stepping algorithm and the bilinear cohesive model is employed to simulate interlaminar delamination. Finally, numerical simulations are performed to study the impact force-time/central displacement curves and intralaminar damage and interlaminar delamination features for composite pressure vessels at three different impact energy. Detailed energy dissipation mechanisms due to intralaminar dynamic progressive failure, interlaminar delamination and deformation of liner are also discussed. By comparison, relatively good agreement is achieved between the experimental and numerical results by using the three-dimensional laminated media model.