A Numerical/Experimental Study on the Impact and CAI Behaviour of Glass Reinforced Compsite Plates

This paper focuses on the development of an advance numerical model specifically
for simulating low velocity impact events and related stiffness reduction on composite
structures. The model is suitable for low cost thick composite structures like wind turbine
blade and maritime vessels. The model consist of a combination of inter and intra laminar
models. The intra-laminar model present a combination of Puck and Hashin failure theories for
the evaluation of the fibre and matrix failure. The inter-laminar damage is instead simulated by
Cohesive Zone Method based on energy approach. Basic material properties, easily measurable
according to standardized tests, are required. The model has been used to simulate impact
and compression after impact tests. Experimental tests have been carried out on thick E-Glass/
Epoxy composite commonly used in the wind turbine industry. The clustering effect as well as
the consequence of the impact energy have been experimentally tested. The accuracy of
numerical model has been verified against experimental data showing a very good accuracy
of the model.