Ply level failure prediction of carbon fibre reinforced laminated composite panels subjected to low velocity drop-weight impact using adaptive meshing techniques

• Experimental testing has shown limitations in predicting ply-by-ply failures.
• We developed simulation model to predict 2D stresses of impacted fibrous composite panels.
• 2D stresses were numerically integrated to predicted 3D stresses.
• The stresses were utilised in advanced failure criteria to predict ply-by-ply failure.
• Ply-by-ply failure were predicted for impact of relatively thick 16- and 24-ply panels.

This work is concerned with physical testing and numerical simulations of flat and round nose drop-weight impact of carbon fibre-reinforced laminate composite panels to predict ply level failure. Majority of the existing studies on impact of composites by spherical nose impactors are experimental, computational models are simplified, and based on classical laminated plate theories where contributions of through-thickness stresses are neglected. Present work considers flat nose impact and contributions from through-thickness stresses and is mainly simulation based. A computational model was developed in ABAQUS™ software using adaptive meshing techniques. Simulation produced (2D model) stresses were numerically integrated using MATALB™ code to predict through-thickness (3D) stresses. Through-the-thickness stresses were then utilised in advanced failure criteria coded in MATLAB™ software to predict ply level failures. Simulation produced results demonstrate that the computational model can efficiently and effectively predict ply-by-ply failure status of relatively thick laminates.