Abstract:
The impact of a woven 6 mm thick CFRP laminate has been subjected to impact by
an annealed steel sphere up to velocities of 1875 m/s. It was observed that
above a threshold impact energy, the percentage of kinetic energy dissipated by
the laminate was constant. Further, the level of damage, as measured by C-Scan
and through-thickness microscopy remained roughly constant as the impact energy
was increased. However, the size of the hole formed increased. This suggested
that the energy transferred to the target in the velocity range of interest
became independent of the delamination. Consequently, the main energy transfer
mechanism at the high velocities of impact is thought to be due to the cavity
expansion and more importantly, the kinetic energy of the particulates.
