Study on Low-Velocity Impact Resistance of SMA-CFRP U-Shaped Structure Considering Curing Residual Stress
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: While carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) composites are widely utilized in aerospace applications due to their exceptional specific strength and stiffness, they are inevitably subjected to impact loads during service, which can easily induce internal damage such as delamination. To mitigate these issues, this study investigates the low-velocity impact behavior of an SMA-reinforced CFRP U-shaped structure, emphasizing the critical role of curing-induced residual stresses. A numerical model incorporating the thermal-mechanical manufacturing history was developed and validated against experimental data. Results indicate that while embedded superelastic SMA wires effectively suppress crack propagation and enhance energy absorption, neglecting residual stresses leads to a significant overestimation of structural rigidity and peak loads. Due to the coefficient of thermal expansion mismatch between the SMA wires and the resin matrix, the SMA-CFRP system exhibits higher sensitivity to initial internal stresses than pure CFRP. By accounting for the residual stress field, the relative error in predicted peak force and absorbed energy for the SMA-CFRP model was reduced from 9.3% to 3.5% and 18.9% to 7.8%, respectively. These findings demonstrate that residual stress lowers the failure threshold and is essential for capturing the synergistic effects of SMA phase transformation and matrix damage, providing a more accurate reconstruction of the structural energy balance.
Source: Journal of Composites Science
DOI: 10.3390/jcs10050233
Authors: Liangdi Wang, Yingjie Xu, Jun Wang, Shengnan Zhang
Language: English
Subfield: Mechanics of Materials
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,172
Awards: G2279762809, G2427980653, G5167297335
OpenAlex ID: W7156940251