Influence of thickness on impact resistance of glass fiber woven composite laminates

Abstract

To investigate the influence thickness has on the impact resistance of glass fiber woven composite laminates, a series of impact tests on 1–5 mm‐thick laminates impacted by the hemispherical‐nosed projectile on a one‐stage gas gun are conducted. The influence thickness has on the ballistic limit, energy absorption, failure mode, and damage mechanism of laminates is analyzed. The results show the ballistic limit velocity of 1–5 mm thickness to increase in a linear manner. It is found that the ballistic limit velocity of laminate 5 mm in thickness is 2.8 times greater than that of a laminate that is 1 mm in thickness. As the impact velocity of the projectile increases, the energy absorption of a laminated plate decreases to approximately 10% before becoming stable. Fiber tensile tearing and matrix cracking occurs on the back of the laminate, while the domain failure mode changes from fiber tensile fracture to shear as the velocity of the projectile increases.