Damage Characterization of GFRP Hollow Ribbed Emergency Pipes Subjected to Low-Velocity Impact by Experimental and Numerical Analysis

This paper investigates the low-velocity impact response and damage behavior of glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) hollow ribbed emergency pipes of our design under different impact heights. Drop hammer impact tests with impact velocities of 8.41 m/s, 8.97 m/s, and 9.50 m/s were conducted using an impact platform. A progressive damage model for low-velocity impact was developed using Abaqus/Explicit finite element software. The model used the three-dimensional Hashin damage initiation criteria and a damage evolution model based on the equivalent strain method to simulate the initiation and evolution of intralaminar damage in the pipe ring. A cohesive zone model (CZM) based on a bilinear traction-separation law was used to simulate delamination. The results show that the pipe rings experienced fiber or matrix fractures and delamination damage during the impact process. Additionally, the pipe ring specimens underwent bending vibrations under the impact load, leading to fluctuating contact forces at all three impact heights. Analysis of the simulation results reveals that the primary damage modes in the GFRP hollow ribbed emergency pipe are fiber tension damage, matrix tension damage, and fiber compression damage, with delamination occurring mainly in the impact area and the interface area on both sides of the rib.