The role of ply clustering in the impact damage of woven carbon/epoxy laminates: An experimental-numerical study

This study investigates the impact behaviour of carbon/epoxy woven laminates through experimental and numerical analysis, with particular emphasis on the effects of ply clustering. Drop weight tower tests were performed for three different ply clustering configurations. In addition, 3D Digital Image...

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Main Authors: P.G. Rodríguez-Luján, R. del Cuvillo, J.M. Rodríguez-Sereno, J.A. Artero-Guerrero, D. Varas, J. Pernas-Sánchez
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-07-01
Series:Composites Part C: Open Access
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666682025000465
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author P.G. Rodríguez-Luján
R. del Cuvillo
J.M. Rodríguez-Sereno
J.A. Artero-Guerrero
D. Varas
J. Pernas-Sánchez
author_facet P.G. Rodríguez-Luján
R. del Cuvillo
J.M. Rodríguez-Sereno
J.A. Artero-Guerrero
D. Varas
J. Pernas-Sánchez
author_sort P.G. Rodríguez-Luján
collection DOAJ
description This study investigates the impact behaviour of carbon/epoxy woven laminates through experimental and numerical analysis, with particular emphasis on the effects of ply clustering. Drop weight tower tests were performed for three different ply clustering configurations. In addition, 3D Digital Image Correlation (DIC) techniques were used to analyse out-of-plane displacements, providing a deeper insight into the phenomenon that triggers the failure mechanisms. Internal damage was further characterized using ultrasonic C-scan techniques to quantify the extent of damage. A major contribution of this work is the development of a three-dimensional constitutive model based on continuum damage mechanics that incorporates multiple failure mechanisms, with special attention to transverse shear damage. Numerical simulations of the drop-weight tower tests were performed for all three laminate configurations, validating the ability of the constitutive model to predict force and energy responses, as well as the failure mechanisms observed during the tests. The constitutive model was found to be useful in understanding the interaction between interlaminar and intralaminar failure mechanisms under out-of-plane loading conditions, such as drop weight tower tests and other impact scenarios. The study highlights the importance of laminate clustering for perforation resistance and the need to incorporate transverse shear damage into numerical models to accurately capture the perforation process.
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spelling doaj-art-7b33a9292efd44a889a232b1ce799c582025-08-20T03:24:48ZengElsevierComposites Part C: Open Access2666-68202025-07-011710060310.1016/j.jcomc.2025.100603The role of ply clustering in the impact damage of woven carbon/epoxy laminates: An experimental-numerical studyP.G. Rodríguez-Luján0R. del Cuvillo1J.M. Rodríguez-Sereno2J.A. Artero-Guerrero3D. Varas4J. Pernas-Sánchez5Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Departamento de Mecánica de Medios Continuos y Teoría de Estructuras, Avenida de la Universidad, 30, 28911 Leganés, Madrid, Spain11 ROR:https://ror.org/03ths8210.Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Departamento de Mecánica de Medios Continuos y Teoría de Estructuras, Avenida de la Universidad, 30, 28911 Leganés, Madrid, Spain11 ROR:https://ror.org/03ths8210.Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Departamento de Mecánica de Medios Continuos y Teoría de Estructuras, Avenida de la Universidad, 30, 28911 Leganés, Madrid, Spain11 ROR:https://ror.org/03ths8210.Corresponding author.; Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Departamento de Mecánica de Medios Continuos y Teoría de Estructuras, Avenida de la Universidad, 30, 28911 Leganés, Madrid, Spain11 ROR:https://ror.org/03ths8210.Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Departamento de Mecánica de Medios Continuos y Teoría de Estructuras, Avenida de la Universidad, 30, 28911 Leganés, Madrid, Spain11 ROR:https://ror.org/03ths8210.Universidad Carlos III de Madrid, Departamento de Mecánica de Medios Continuos y Teoría de Estructuras, Avenida de la Universidad, 30, 28911 Leganés, Madrid, Spain11 ROR:https://ror.org/03ths8210.This study investigates the impact behaviour of carbon/epoxy woven laminates through experimental and numerical analysis, with particular emphasis on the effects of ply clustering. Drop weight tower tests were performed for three different ply clustering configurations. In addition, 3D Digital Image Correlation (DIC) techniques were used to analyse out-of-plane displacements, providing a deeper insight into the phenomenon that triggers the failure mechanisms. Internal damage was further characterized using ultrasonic C-scan techniques to quantify the extent of damage. A major contribution of this work is the development of a three-dimensional constitutive model based on continuum damage mechanics that incorporates multiple failure mechanisms, with special attention to transverse shear damage. Numerical simulations of the drop-weight tower tests were performed for all three laminate configurations, validating the ability of the constitutive model to predict force and energy responses, as well as the failure mechanisms observed during the tests. The constitutive model was found to be useful in understanding the interaction between interlaminar and intralaminar failure mechanisms under out-of-plane loading conditions, such as drop weight tower tests and other impact scenarios. The study highlights the importance of laminate clustering for perforation resistance and the need to incorporate transverse shear damage into numerical models to accurately capture the perforation process.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666682025000465CFRP wovenImpact behaviourPly clusteringConstitutive modellingNumerical simulationsDrop weight tower
spellingShingle P.G. Rodríguez-Luján
R. del Cuvillo
J.M. Rodríguez-Sereno
J.A. Artero-Guerrero
D. Varas
J. Pernas-Sánchez
The role of ply clustering in the impact damage of woven carbon/epoxy laminates: An experimental-numerical study
Composites Part C: Open Access
CFRP woven
Impact behaviour
Ply clustering
Constitutive modelling
Numerical simulations
Drop weight tower
title The role of ply clustering in the impact damage of woven carbon/epoxy laminates: An experimental-numerical study
title_full The role of ply clustering in the impact damage of woven carbon/epoxy laminates: An experimental-numerical study
title_fullStr The role of ply clustering in the impact damage of woven carbon/epoxy laminates: An experimental-numerical study
title_full_unstemmed The role of ply clustering in the impact damage of woven carbon/epoxy laminates: An experimental-numerical study
title_short The role of ply clustering in the impact damage of woven carbon/epoxy laminates: An experimental-numerical study
title_sort role of ply clustering in the impact damage of woven carbon epoxy laminates an experimental numerical study
topic CFRP woven
Impact behaviour
Ply clustering
Constitutive modelling
Numerical simulations
Drop weight tower
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666682025000465
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