STATIC AND DYNAMIC CONTACT BEHAVIORS OF COMPOSITE LAMINATES
Abstract
Static indentation tests were performed to determine the law of contact between steel balls and glass-epoxy and graphite-epoxy laminated composites. Power laws were found adequate for loading, unloading and reloading. A parameter (the critical indentation) was found which can be used to model the unloading with permanent indentation without the need of conducting many unloading tests. It was also demonstrated that the reloading law needs no reloading data to establish once the loading and reloading behaviors are determined. A simple and efficient plate bending element was developed and used to compute the dynamic contact force and response of laminated composites subjected to the impact of an elastic sphere. Evaluative examples were presented for both static loadings and free vibration. Then experimental result for impact of a square graphite-epoxy laminate was compared with the finite element solution. A simple method has been developed for estimating the contact force and contact duration during an impact. This method has been shown to be quite accurate especially for thicker beams and plates.
Degree
Ph.D.
Subject Area
Mechanics
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