Impact dynamics of composite beams

• Published in: Composite structures Vol. 32; no. 1; pp. 187 - 195
• Main Authors: Yigit, A.S., Christoforou, A.P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 1995; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Composites; Exact sciences and technology; Forms of application and semi-finished materials; Fundamental areas of phenomenology (including applications); Physics; Polymer industry, paints, wood; Solid mechanics; Structural and continuum mechanics; Technology of polymers; Vibration, mechanical wave, dynamic stability (aeroelasticity, vibration control...); Vibrations and mechanical waves; Carbon fibers; Composite materials; Elastoplasticity; Epoxy resins; Numerical methods; Mechanical shock
• ISSN: 0263-8223
• DOI: 10.1016/0263-8223(95)00072-0

The dynamics of a composite beam subject to transverse impact is investigated. A linearized contact law based on an elastic-plastic contact is shown to yield excellent results for the impact response. A dynamic ratio which is defined as the ratio of the maximum impact force obtained from the dynamic simulation to the one obtained from a half-space analysis (i.e., local contact) is used to characterize the type of impact response i.e., whether it is locally dominated, quasi-static or dynamic. It is found that this ratio depends on a single nondimensional parameter called ‘dynamic impact number’, which also governs the initial impact response until the waves are reflected back from the boundaries.