Finite element analysis of composite laminates subjected to low-velocity impact based on multiple failure criteria

Progressive damage models based on continuum damage mechanics are used in combination with cohesive elements to explore the effect of three different failure criteria including Chang-Chang, Hashin and Puck criteria, on the structural response and the failure mechanisms of composite laminates subjected to low-velocity impact. Three different failure criteria and damage evolution laws based on equivalent strain are used for intralaminar damage models, and the delamination is simulated by the bilinear cohesive model based on quadratic criteria. A new numerical optimization method combining analytical approximation and Golden section Search has been applied in Puck criteria to search the fracture plane. Numerical analysis is performed on two composite laminates specimens with different materials, layups and impact energy to study the impact force-time, force-displacement and absorbed energy, computational cost, as well as the damage evolution behaviors of fiber, matrix and delamination. The numerical results with three different failure criteria show acceptable accord with available experimental data, which validate the accuracy of the proposed damage model. Moreover, this research can be helpful to select appropriate failure criteria in the progressive failure analysis of composite laminates under low velocity impact.