Numerical and experimental verification of impact response of laminated aluminum composite structure

Abstract

Laminated Aluminum Composite Structure (LACS) has shown great potential for replacing traditional bulk aluminum parts, due to its ability to maintain low manufacturing costs and create complex geometries. In this study, a LACS, that consists of 20 aluminum layers joined by a structural tape adhesive, was fabricated and tested to understand its impact performance. Three impact tests were conducted: axial drop, normal and transverse three-point bending drop tests. Numerical simulations were performed to predict the peak loads and failure modes during impacts. Material models with failure properties were used to simulate the cohesive failure, interfacial failure, and aluminum fracture. Various failure modes were observed experimentally (large plastic deformation, axial buckling, local wrinkling, aluminum fracture and delamination) and captured by simulations. Cross-section size of the axial drop model was varied to understand the LACS buckling direction and force response. For three-point bending drop simulations, the mechanism causing the maximum plastic strain at various locations in the aluminum and adhesive layers was discussed. This study presents an insight to understand the axial and flexural responses under dynamic loading, and the failure modes in LACS. The developed simulation methodology can be used to predict the performance of LACS with more complex geometries.