Impact response and delamination of composite plates

Abstract: This thesis covers a selection of issues associated with impact response and delarknation of composite plates. The problems include contact problems, impact response and delankration testing. The interaction between Hertzian contact stresses and flexural stresses in a plate is studied by comparing a finite element solution with superposition of closed form solutions. Indentation of sandwich panels is studied experimentally and analytically by use of a novel solution which considers core crushing and large face sheet deflections. Wave controlled impact response caused by small mass impact on onhotropic plates is studied analytically and experimentally by use of a one-parameter dimensionless equation. A separate paper describes the extension of the model to sandwich plates. Analytical and experimental aspects of delamination testing are covered by an improved beam analysis of the double cantilever beam specimen and a study of analytical and experimental sources of error in the evaluation of the mixed mode bending specimen. Finally, an extensive experimental program to study the transferability of delamination growth criteria from standard coupen specimens to simple components is reviewed.