A numerical study on the impact resistance of composite shells using an energy based failure model

This paper presents a numerical study on the impact resistance of composite shells laminates using an energy based failure model. The damage model formulation is based on a methodology that combines stress based, continuum damage mechanics (CDM) and fracture mechanics approaches within a unified procedure by using a smeared cracking formulation. The damage model has been implemented as a user-defined material model in ABAQUS FE code within shell elements. Experimental results obtained from previous works were used to validate the damage model. Finite element models were developed in order to investigate the pressure and curvature effects on the impact response of laminated composite shells.