Experimental study on quasi-static penetration process of cylindrical indenters with different nose shapes into the hybrid composite panels

Abstract

The main aim of the present research is to investigate the quasi-static penetration process of cylindrical indenters with different nose shapes into multilayered composite panels made of Dyneema and Glass woven fibers, and aluminum face sheets. For better understanding of the perforation mechanism of the composite panels, effects of indenter geometry, stacking sequences, and boundary conditions are studied and their effects on energy absorption, specific absorbed energy, maximum deformation, peak load, and failure modes are evaluated and discussed. Samples with different layering configurations loaded under quasi-static punch and indentation with loading rate of 5 mm/min using universal testing machine and cylindrical rigid indenters with different nose shapes geometries consist of blunt, hemispherical, conical, and ogival. Regarding the boundary condition effects, two different rigid fixtures are designed and manufactured with the same external square perimeter (250 × 250 mm) and two different internal perimeters of circular and square shapes respectively, with diameter of 15 mm and edge side of 100 mm. Results show that the hybrid composite panels composed of Dyneema sheets, exhibits significantly better load carrying capacity and specific absorbed energy under both loading conditions. Indenter nose shape significantly affects elastic load, peak load, and energy absorption and maximum deformation. Furthermore, from visual observations based on digital microscopic images, fiber breakage, fiber pull out, intralaminar delamination, and debonding between the composite layers within the damage zone were inspected and recognized as the main damage mechanisms of panels. Output data obtained from all the experimental investigation were reported, discussed, and commented upon.