Chapter 11: Impact Response of Composites

As fiber-reinforced polymeric composites continue to be used in more damage-prone environments, it is necessary to understand the response of these materials when subjected to impact from foreign objects. This chapter provides an overview of the analysis methods for impact-damaged composites. It discusses the causes and effects of various failure mechanisms in composite materials. The failure mechanisms covered are brittle-matrix composite failure, tough-matrix composite failure, thermoplastic-matrix composite failure mechanisms, untoughened thermoset-matrix composite failure mechanisms, toughened thermoset-matrix composite failure mechanisms, particle interlayer-toughened composite failure mechanisms, and dispersed-phase, rubber-toughened thermoset-matrix composite failure mechanisms.