Dynamic contact analysis of laminated composite plates under low-velocity impact

Simple laws, such as the modified Hertz contact law, have been used to impose the dynamic contact condition of composite laminates. However, these laws cannot account for span or thickness and stacking sequence of the laminate when simulating the dynamic contact behaviors. Special attention is given to the dynamic contact analysis of composite laminates under low velocity impact as a precise method that can consider such parameters. To simulate the dynamic behaviors of composite laminates by a rigid impactor, three-dimensional finite element analysis is carried out, A formulation of the dynamic contact problem using the penalty finite element method is summarized. For the static case, the contact force-indentation relations for composite plates are investigated to reveal the contact behavior of composite plates and to point out the limitations of the modified Hertz contact law. For the dynamic ease, impact forces of a composite laminate predicted by the present method are compared with the one by the modified Hertz contact law. Finally, impact behaviors of curved composite laminates, which are important in real applications, are investigated. Impact force histories of curved composite laminates with various curvatures and stacking sequences are presented. The results are compared with those of plates with the same dimensions and stacking sequences, The effects of curvature on impact response of composite laminates are presented.