Impact on laminated composites

An impact is a force which is applied over a short time period. Such a force can sometimes have greater effect than a lower force applied over a proportionally longer time period. Although many structures are some time subjected to these kinds of forces, many machines and machine parts are commonly subjected to such forces. That is why impact on materials has a big importance in mechanics. Impact on metallic materials will not result in greater effects because metallic materials have the ability to plastic strain and this will help them to absorb most of the energy which will occur as a result of the impact. On the other hand, the deformation which will occur as result of an impact on a composite can occur in an unexpected way and on an unexpected surface.In this thesis it is discussed, the damage and the deformation of composites under different impact energies. Also it is discussed, in which conditions they can occur, by the help of experimental results and the experimental results are compared with finite element results.The specimens that are used during the experiments are three kind of geometrical shapes; square with 76 mm per edge, square with 150 mm per edge and a circle with 76 mm of diameter. They are examined in Fractovis Plus impact tester machine.