An analytical model for high velocity impacts on thin CFRPs woven laminated plates

Abstract

An analytical model to study the impact process of a spherical projectile penetrating at high velocity into a carbon/epoxy plain woven laminate is developed in this work. The model is based on an energy balance, where the kinetic energy of the projectile is absorbed by the laminate by three different mechanisms: laminate crushing, linear momentum transfer and tensile fiber failure. A non-homogeneous differential equation is obtained. A subsequent simplification using regular perturbation analysis gives a closed-form solution that allows the approximative calculation of the residual velocity and hence the ballistic limit. The model is validated with the results of experimental tests in which the residual velocity is measured by means of high speed cameras.