Low‐velocity impacts in continuous glass fiber/polypropylene composites

Abstract The low‐velocity impact behavior of a continuous glass fiber/polypropylene composite was investigated. Optical microscopy and ultrasonic scanning were used to determine the impact‐induced damage. At low impact energy, the predominant damage mechanism observed was matrix cracking, while at high energy the damage mechanisms observed were delamination, plastic deformation, which produced a residual specimen curvature, and a small amount of fiber breakage at the edge of the indentation on the impacted face of the specimens. The impact load vs. time signals were recorded during impact and showed that the load corresponding to the onset of delamination was independent of the impact energy in the range tested. The load at which the onset of delamination occurred corresponded to the values obtained by performing a linear regression of the delaminated area, obtained by ultrasonic scanning, as a function of the impact force. Tensile and flexural tests performed on impacted specimens showed that the tensile and flexural residual strengths and the flexural modulus decreased with increasing incident impact energy, while the post‐impact residual tensile modulus remained constant. The dynamic interlaminar fracture toughness was evaluated from the critical dynamic (impact) strain energy release rate of specimens with a delamination simulated by an embedded insert. The results are compared with the interlaminar fracture toughness values obtained during subcritical steady crack growth.