The Penetration Characteristics of CFRP Laminated Shells on the Change of Stacking Sequences and Curvatures

CFRP(Carbon Fiber Reinforced Plastics) of the advanced composite materials as structural materials for vehicle, has a wide application in light-weigh structural materials of airplanes, ships and automobiles because of high strength and stiffness, However, there is a design variable to be considered in practical application of the laminate composite materials, these materials are vulnerable to transverse impact. This paper is to study the effects of stacking sequence and curvature on the penetration characteristics of composite laminate shell. They are stacked to and their interlaminar number two and four. They are manufactured to various curvature radius (R=100, 150, 200mm and ), When the specimen is subjected to transverse impact by a steel ball, the velocity of the steel ball was measured both before and after impact by determing the time for it to pass two ballistics-screen sensors located a known distance apart. The critical penetration energy of specimen A and B with less interfaces were a little higher than those of C and D. As the curvature increases, the critical penetration energy increases linearly because the resistance to the in-plane deformation as well as bending deformation increases, which need higher critical penetration energy. The specimen A and C have higher critical penetration energy than B and D because of different stacking sequences. We examined crack length through a penetration test. For the specimen A with 2interfaces, the longest circumferential direction crack length were observed on the first interface from the impact point. For the specimen B 4-interface, the longest circumferential direction crack length were observed on the second interface from the impact point.