Low-velocity impact response optimization of the foam-cored sandwich panels with CFRP skins for electric aircraft fuselage skin application

Abstract

Abstract Composite sandwich structures are widely used in the aerospace field due to their advantages of high strength, lightweight, and fatigue resistance. However, these structures are prone to damage with very-low-energy impacts. In order to improve the impact resistance of aircraft skin structure, a low-velocity impact resistance of sandwich structure specimens was tested by means of drop hammer impact, and the impact damage area was scanned by ultrasonic C-scan, and obtains the impact damage of specimens with different impact energies and different ply sequences. Combined with the Hashin failure criterion, the finite element equivalent model of composite sandwich structure under low-velocity impact was established. The errors between the simulation results and the C-scan results of the test piece were less than 10%, in which the experimental measurements and numerical predictions were in close agreement. Finally, the finite element equivalent model was applied to optimize the application of model sandwich, which was used for fuselage skin of a certain electric aircraft. The total thickness of the laminate structure remains unchanged before and after optimization, but the impact resistance was significantly enhanced. The ±45° lay-up was beneficial for the structure to absorb the impact energy.