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Impact Damage of Composite Structures

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Long-Term Durability of Polymeric Matrix Composites

Abstract

The damage tolerance of composite structures is intimately linked to the morphology and extent of flaws or damage. Impacts are a commonly occurring source of threat to composites that can produce a “seed” damage state which inherently controls the subsequent durability and damage tolerance of the affected structure. Transverse impact to composites is of particular concern due to the possibility of exciting damage modes that are difficult, or even not possible, to visually detect from the exterior (impact-side) surface. Some examples of such damage are delamination, backside-only fiber failure, debonding of internal substructure (e.g., stringers and stiffeners, doublers, joints), and crushing and separation of sandwich panel core. Impact damage is highly dependent upon the nature of the threat and conditions associated with the impact event. This chapter will provide an overview of impact damage threats that are common to composite aircraft structures and describe the relationship of these threat sources to the damage that is seeded. An historical overview of the impact damage tolerance methodologies developed by military aircraft programs, and subsequently widely adopted across the composite structures community, is also provided.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of California, San Diego, 9500 Gilman Drive MC 0085, La Jolla, CA, 92093-0085, USA

    Hyonny Kim

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  1. Hyonny Kim
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  2. John C. Halpin
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  3. Gabriela K. DeFrancisci
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Correspondence to Hyonny Kim .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. Mechanical Engineering, Stevens Institute of Technology, Castle Point of Hudson, Hoboken, 07030, New Jersey, USA

    Kishore V. Pochiraju

  2. Dept. Materials Engineering, University of Dayton, College Park 300, Dayton, 45469-0160, Ohio, USA

    Gyaneshwar P. Tandon

  3. Materials & Manufacturing Directorate, Air Force Research Lab., Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Dayton, 45433-7702, Ohio, USA

    Gregory A. Schoeppner

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Kim, H., Halpin, J.C., DeFrancisci, G.K. (2012). Impact Damage of Composite Structures. In: Pochiraju, K., Tandon, G., Schoeppner, G. (eds) Long-Term Durability of Polymeric Matrix Composites. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-9308-3_5

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