Research on intralaminar load reversal damage modeling for predicting composite laminates’ low velocity impact responses

Abstract Despite abundant finite element analysis (FEA) of low velocity impact (LVI) performance of composite laminates, the questions regarding the effects of different load reversal damage laws on predicted impact responses of composite laminates and which one is preferred for more physically-sound simulation of laminate LVI responses remain unresolved. In this paper, an elasto-plastic progressive damage model based on three load reversal damage laws including coupled tension-compression law, semi-stiffness recovery law and full-stiffness recovery law, were numerically implemented in predicting laminate LVI responses. By comparisons between simulations and available experimental data, the influences of different load reversal damage laws on predicted delamination threshold load, impact force, laminate central deformation, dissipated impact energy as well as damage status were analyzed. More accurately predicting laminates’ LVI responses, the semi-stiffness recovery law was concluded as the preferred intralaminar load reversal damage law.