Bird strike on a flat plate: Experiments and numerical simulations

•Experiments of bird impact with a flat plate are conducted and numerically simulated.•Different bird material models are found suitable for different striking velocities.•Simulation results agree reasonably well with experimental measurements.

In this study, experiments of bird impact with a flat plate are conducted at different striking velocities and simulated using an explicit finite element software PAM-CRASH with three bird material models. The predicted displacement and strain in the plate and impact reaction force on the clamping fixture are compared with experimental measurements. The results suggest that the elastic–plastic material model with a defined failure strain is best suited for bird strike simulation at low impact velocities, the isotropic elastic–plastic hydrodynamic solid model is best suited for bird strike simulation at intermediate impact velocities, and the SPH (smooth particle hydrodynamic) method with the Murnaghan EOS (equation of state) for solid element is best suited for bird strike simulation at high impact velocities. Using the appropriate bird material model, the simulation results agree very well with experimental data.