Experimental analysis of CFRP laminates subjected to compression after impact: The role of impact-induced cracks in failure

This paper presents an experimental analysis of composite laminates subjected to low velocity impact and compression after impact (CAI). Two types of CFRP specimens are studied: a highly oriented laminate and a quasi-isotropic laminate. Impact energy is chosen to obtain a dent depth less than or around the BVID level. 3D digital image correlation is used to make detailed analyses of plates behaviour during CAI. Even if the damage morphologies are very different, the study shows that, in both cases, classical global buckling of the plate and local buckling of the delaminated sublaminates are accompanied by a crack on the impact face of the laminate. This crack appears in the highly damaged zone, under the impactor, and propagates in the direction transverse to the loading direction in a stable way. It is shown to play an essential role in the final failure of the laminate under compression.