Predicting damage behaviors of composite laminates under multiple low‐velocity impacts

Abstract In present investigation, experimental and numerical approaches were combined to investigate the distance between impact positions (DBIP) effects upon impact response and damage accumulation regarding carbon/glass hybrid laminates with multiple low‐velocity impacts. Force/energy‐time curves as well as force‐displacement curves with respect to the laminates with three various impact energies at four different impact positions were obtained from experiment data. Then C‐scans were made to quantify the damage of all the impacted specimens. Additionally, an integrated multi‐impact model was created considering both interlaminar delamination and intralaminar damage. Continuum damage mechanics model (CDM) was developed to calculate the impact resistance regarding laminates under various impact loadings with high efficiency. The simulation and experimental results agreed well. Moreover, the qualitative effects of impact positions on the laminates' mechanical responses were summarized utilizing predictive model that validated. Highlights The effect of the DBIP on the impact response and damage accumulation of carbon/glass hybrid laminates subjected to multiple low‐velocity impacts was studied. An integrated multi‐impact model was developed to predict the impact resistance of laminates under various impact loadings with high efficiency. The qualitative effects of impact positions on the laminates' mechanical responses were summarized using a validated predictive model.