A computational framework for energy absorption and damage assessment of laminated composites under ballistic impact and new insights into target parameters

Abstract

In this research, by means of advanced methods within the framework of the FE method, an effective modeling approach is proposed to simulate the ballistic perforation behaviors of multi-directional woven composite panels. Within that scope, constitutive models for intraply and interfacial or interply damage mechanisms are formulated and implemented into ABAQUS/Explicit FE code. The constitutive law of ply-level damage model incorporates the nonlinear material response, degradation of material properties, progressive failure and the element deletion scheme. The interfaces between the individual plies are modeled using a cohesive surface method, and the behaviors of interply degradation and failure are described using a traction-separation law. Besides, the material responses with large nonlinearity due to fiber rupture, matrix cracking, plasticity effects due to micro-matrix cracking under shear loading, and interface delamination are accounted for by appropriate material degradation models. The proposed developments are first validated against the available experimental and analytical results. Next, the ballistic impact simulations of woven composite targets are carried out in a two-phase research. The first phase analyzes the ballistic impact behavior and ballistic performance of the composite laminates in terms of residual velocity and energy absorbing capacity. The second phase involves the investigation of the impact characteristics and failure mechanisms of the composite materials. More specifically, the key perforation mechanisms and associated impact damage extents and patterns with respect to projectile velocity are investigated for the composite panels. We further perform parametric analysis in order to understand the influence of a certain number of parameters on the laminate ballistic impact response. These parameters are categorized based on materials such as fiber type material, interface systems, and geometry such as stacking sequences and support conditions. Numerical results reveal that the ballistic impact performance depends significantly on the cohesive material properties, the stacking sequence, and the woven fabric material, whereas less contribution of support conditions to the ballistic perforation characteristic is noticed.