Arne Hartwig

Compression After Multiple Impacts: Modelling and Experimental Validation on Composite Curved Stiffened Panels

This research investigates the post-impact behaviour of composite fuselage panels subjected to multi-site low-velocity impacts. Large curved stiffened panels (1.2 m × 0.8 m, with composite skins/stiffeners and aluminium frames) of two different skin thicknesses were subjected to sequential drop-weight impacts at locations previously determined to be critical in FE simulations. After assessment of the impact damage, each panel was tested in compression. High-speed video, strain gauges, digital image correlation and acoustic emission were used to monitor the failure development and to provide data for comparison with the FE simulations. The FE models, which were based on a mesomechanical approach, showed a good agreement with both the impact damage and the subsequent compression performance.