Impact analysis of composite laminates with multiple delaminations

This paper concerns with the transient response of composite laminates with multiple delaminations subjected to low-velocity impact by a rigid ball. The finite element method based on the Mindlin plate theory is employed to describe the motion and deformation of the laminates. A Hertzian-type indentation law is adopted to calculate the impact force between the laminates and the rigid ball. To deal with the dynamic contacts between delaminated layers effectively, a modified Lagrange multiplier technique is employed. For multi-body dynamic contacts, the computation of contact force between delaminated layers is addressed. Numerical results provide much information for understanding the impact phenomenon of the composite laminates with multiple delaminations. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.