Simulation of Low Velocity Impact on CFRP Aerospace Structures: Simplified Approaches, Numerical and Experimental Results

This paper presents a study of low velocity impact on unidirectional composite specimens, a plate and an aerospace stiffened panel following the building block approach. Simplified approaches for a quick estimation of impact behavior description are used to define the impact dynamic response and the existence of delamination at coupon level, while numerical analysis models using ABAQUS/Explicit software and experimental results are described in detail and compared at all levels. Significant effort was made in the use of different types of elements and damage models for matrix cracking, fiber breakage and cohesive elements for delamination between plies of composite. The results obtained show that simplified approaches give an effective initial understanding of the impact response helping the interpretation of numerical and experimental results. In addition, the comparison of different methods of simulation demonstrated that continuum shell elements with induced cohesive elements present the most accurate results regarding the impact force, contact duration, energy absorption and damage extension.