Damage identification from flexural strain histories

Damage identification of a thin disk struck by a penetrating projectile is analyzed. The disk is segmented into annular regions each with different properties. The footprint and damage radii form two of several segments in the discretization. Modal response of the segmented disk is determined by combining transfer matrices of successive annular segments and dynamic impedance of the central segment. Transient response of the intact disk proceeds by modal analysis until damage occurs. Following damage, transient response continues for the segmented disk excluding the damaged zone with initial conditions equal to those of the final state of the intact disk at the instant of damage. Peak amplitude of the damaged disk is smaller than that of the intact disk. This is caused by cessation of the forcing pulse and sudden stress release along the damaged perimeter. Non-linear coupling with extensional motions reduces peak flexural strain while extensional strain remains comparatively small.