Failure Mode Characterization and Dominant Mode Determination in Progressive Damage Due to High Velocity Impact on Woven Composite Laminates

In this research, the finite element method have been utilized for investigation the progressive damage in composite laminates. Governing equations on progressive damage in three dimensional stress and strain filed have been expressed based on Hashin's onset of damage and Matzenmiller's progression of failure. The damage equations were coded to make a material model in LS-Dyna. This model could simulate various damage modes such as fiber breakage due to tension or compression, failure due to in-plane shear, crushing and delamination. High velocity impact on woven composite laminates have been analyzed using this material model subroutine. Damage pattern, ballistic limit velocity and growth of damage parameter in different failure modes have been investigated. Also, the occurrence of multi-mode damage at an element and degradation the elastic modulus of the composite material and its softening were studied. In addition, the effect of impact on damage growth at near filed and far filed of the impact zone as well as complete or partial damage of the composite laminate have been investigated. Based on outcomes, number of plies of composite laminate and its thickness have important role on manner of results. Also, for a damaged element, change of failure mode by growth of the damage parameters was observed.