Experimental and numerical investigation on low-velocity impact behaviour of thin hybrid carbon/aramid composite

Hybrid composite materials are widely used in various load-bearing structural components of micro- mini UAVs. However, the design of thin laminates for better impact resistance remains a challenge, despite the strong demand for lightweight structures. This work aims to assess the low-velocity impact (LVI) behaviour of thin quasi- isotropic woven carbon/ aramid epoxy hybrid laminates using experimental and numerical techniques. Drop tower impact test with 10 J and 15 J impact energies is performed on carbon/epoxy laminates having aramid layers at different sequences and locations. The impact behaviour is experimentally evaluated using force-time, force-deformation, and energy-time histories considering delamination threshold load, peak load, and laminate deflection. Ultrasonic C-scan is performed on the post-impact samples to analyse the insidious damage profile at different impact energies. The experimental data is further utilized to numerically simulate LVI behaviour by employing the representative volume element model. The numerical results are in good agreement with the experimental data. Numerical and experimental approach predicts that the hybrid laminates with aramid layers at both impact and non-impact sides of the laminate exhibits significant improvement in the overall impact behaviour by having a subcritical damage morphology compared to carbon/epoxy laminate. A combined numerical-experimental approach is proposed for evaluating the effective impact performance.