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Impact tower testing setup for damage tolerance evaluation of composite laminates
In this project, we assess damage tolerance of thin ply CFRP composite laminates after a low-velocity impact (LVI) by developing experimental test setups for conducting compression after impact tests on such composites.
The damage tolerance philosophy used in the aviation industry is loosely defined as a requirement of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA-CFR § 25.571). It states- “an evaluation of the strength, detail design, and fabrication must show that catastrophic failure due to fatigue, corrosion, manufacturing defects, or accidental damage, will be avoided throughout the operational life of the airplane.” Specific requirements include the damaged structure to withstand loads after an impact such that the airplane would be able to complete the flight. The general norm applied in the aviation industry is to require any damaged structure to have required residual strength for specific flight conditions. This includes performing a sequence of impact and compression tests on the specimen referred to as compression after impact (CAI). Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic (CFRP) composite materials are used in critical components of a commercial airplane. In this project at CMASLab, we assess the damage tolerance of thin ply CFRP composite laminates by developing experimental test setups for low-velocity impact (LVI) and CAI tests on such composites.
The damage tolerance philosophy used in the aviation industry is loosely defined as a requirement of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA-CFR § 25.571). It states- “an evaluation of the strength, detail design, and fabrication must show that catastrophic failure due to fatigue, corrosion, manufacturing defects, or accidental damage, will be avoided throughout the operational life of the airplane.” Specific requirements include the damaged structure to withstand loads after an impact such that the airplane would be able to complete the flight. The general norm applied in the aviation industry is to require any damaged structure to have required residual strength for specific flight conditions. This includes performing a sequence of impact and compression tests on the specimen referred to as compression after impact (CAI). Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastic (CFRP) composite materials are used in critical components of a commercial airplane. In this project at CMASLab, we assess the damage tolerance of thin ply CFRP composite laminates by developing experimental test setups for low-velocity impact (LVI) and CAI tests on such composites.
The objectives of this project are the following:
1. Design and develop an experimental test rig in line with current standards/norms to perform impact tests at low velocities on composite laminates.
2. Establishment of all required instrumentation and data analysis on basic experiments.
3. Build standardized CAI apparatus and evaluate residual strength for various thin-ply multi-directional laminates after impact.
4. If time allows, capture the damage evolution process during LVI.
The objectives of this project are the following: 1. Design and develop an experimental test rig in line with current standards/norms to perform impact tests at low velocities on composite laminates. 2. Establishment of all required instrumentation and data analysis on basic experiments. 3. Build standardized CAI apparatus and evaluate residual strength for various thin-ply multi-directional laminates after impact. 4. If time allows, capture the damage evolution process during LVI.