Low velocity impact resistance of aluminum/carbon-epoxy fiber metal laminates
Jarosław Bieniaś, Patryk Jakubczak
Quarterly No. 3, 2012 pages 193-197
DOI:
keywords: fibre metal laminates, hybrid composites, impact resistance, carbon fibers, failure
abstract Fiber metal laminates are a new kind of hybrid materials. There are good candidates for advanced aerospace structural applications due to their high specific mechanical properties. The study researches the resistance to low-velocity impact of hybrid laminates based on aluminum alloys and a carbon/epoxy composite (Al/CFRP). These are completely new materials which have higher strength properties compared to other materials of this type (GLARE, ARALL), high fatigue strength, low weight, etc. The tested laminates were prepared by the autoclave method, which provides the best possible and repeatable quality of the received components. The laminates were analysed in terms of a comparison of their impact resistance according to different layer configurations and different energy levels. The laminates response to low velocity impact using a hemispherical tipped impactor (diameter 12.7 mm) were analyzed. The variation of the impact load as a function of force-time for different layer systems at each energy level was determined. After the tests, the damage zone was evaluated by using ultrasonic and image analysis methods. On this basis the dependencies of the damage zone area and maximum depth of the deformation depending on the layer configurations and energy level were determined. It was noted that Al/CFRP laminates are innovative materials characterized by high impact damage resistance (at low-velocity) because of the superior properties of both metals and fibrous composite materials with strong adhesion bonding. There is a combination of high stiffness and strength from the carbon/epoxy composite layers and good mechanical, ductile properties from aluminum. Generally, specific parameters such as incipient load (Pi), peek load Pm, maximum depth and damage area increased with impact energy. For lower impact energies (up to 10 J) and the first stage of the impact process, minor matrix cracking and delamination in the polymer composite and at the aluminum/composite interface may be observed. However, as the impact energy increased, fiber failures were observed to be the dominant damage mode. The first crack of FMLs (on the back side) was connected with the fiber directions in the finally layer of the carbon epoxy composite. The ply configuration (fiber directions) in Al/CFRP laminates has been particularly important for their impact resistance. The FML with (0/90) and ((±45) ply sequences in the carbon fiber reinforced composite have the best behavior followed by the (0) configuration.