Work

Influence of Preloading on Damage in CFRP Composite Material Subjected to Low-Energy Impact Loads

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: A major challenge in the operation of aerostructures made of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites is their vulnerability to impact-induced damage, particularly when access is limited to only one side of the affected structure. This issue becomes even more complex considering that damage typically occurs in components subjected to initial static preloading. The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of static preload on the extent of damage in CFRP composites subjected to impact energy and to evaluate the effectiveness of selected non-destructive testing (NDT) methods in damage detection. Experimental investigations were conducted on a series of CFRP specimens impacted using a drop-weight tower. Each impact event was recorded with a high-speed camera operating at ultra-high frame rates. It was demonstrated that both the contact time between the impactor and the specimen, as well as the extent of internal damage assessed using ultrasonic testing (UT) and computed tomography (CT), were significantly affected by the level of applied static preload.

Source: Materials

DOI: 10.3390/ma18174016

Authors: Piotr Arkuszyński, Marek Rośkowicz

Institution: Military University of Technology in Warsaw

Language: English

Topic: Mechanical Behavior of Composites

Subfield: Mechanics of Materials

Field: Engineering

Domain: Physical Sciences

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,137

Funder: Wojskowa Akademia Techniczna