Study of impact on helicopter blade

This article presents a study of damage in structures that are similar to helicopter blade sections, subjected to an impact. These complex composite structures were impacted by a steel ball of 125 g at impact speed ranging from 30 to 130 m/s. This led to properly highlight the kinematics of the impact and to define the sequence of the damage’s mechanisms. An explicit FE model is also presented. The damage modelling of the roving is performed through a scale change. It allows a good representation of observed experimental behaviour. As the mesh density is low, it can be used for the modelling of a real structure.

► Steel ball impact on a helicopter blade is discussed experimentally and numerically.
► Blade damage kinematics is defined from tests performed at different energy levels.
► An original finite elements model is defined with a change of scale.
► The numerical model is validated by comparison with experimental results.