Low-velocity impact responses of the stiffened composite laminated plates based on the progressive failure model and the layerwise/solid-elements method

Low-velocity impact responses and impact-induced damages evaluation problems are investigated for the stiffened composite laminated plates based on the progressive failure model and layerwise/solid-elements method (LW/SE). The LW/SE method, which was developed in our previous works (Li, Qing, et al., 2013; Li, Liu, et al., 2013) and for the composite laminated stiffened shells and sandwich plates, not only can obtain accurate displacements and stresses for composite laminates but also can consider complex stiffeners without any assumptions. In the present analysis method, impact responses are determined by the finite element code of LW/SE and the nonlinear Hertz’s contact law which enables consideration of local indentation produced by the indentor on the impacted surface. The 3D Hashin criteria in quadratic strain is employed to predict the initiation of the impact-induced damages. The effect of the accumulation of the damages on the stiffness of laminated plate and stiffeners is computed by using continuum damage mechanics. Several numerical examples are carried out to demonstrate the excellent predictive capability of current method and to study the influence of parameters on the impact responses and impact-induced damages. In addition, the present analysis method is used to study the multi-impacts problem of the stiffened composite laminated plate.