Analysis of low‐velocity impact response and damage characteristics of composite laminates with rigid/soft blunt objects

Abstract Composites, known for their high specific strength, stiffness, and resistance to fatigue and corrosion, are widely used in aerospace applications. However, during service, they often undergo low‐velocity blunt object impacts, which can cause hidden internal damage such as delamination, matrix cracking, and fiber debonding, leading to a reduction in compressive strength and stability. This study focuses on the AC531/CCF800H carbon fiber epoxy composite laminate, investigating both dynamic simulations and experimental validation of soft and rigid blunt object impacts. A constitutive model that incorporates strain rate effects was developed, and simulations were conducted to assess the impact responses. The errors in both the experiments and simulations are within 5%. Additionally, the study examines the effects of factors such as impact mass, energy, angle, indenter characteristics, and ply stacking sequence on damage evolution. The main conclusions are as follows: The type of punch significantly affects the impact response of a rigid punch, while the impact response of a soft punch is more greatly influenced by the size of the punch. Sudden changes in fiber direction within the laminate should be avoided to reduce the risk of failure. Highlights Performed rigid and soft low‐velocity blunt object impact tests on composite laminates. Achieved strong alignment between experimental results and simulations. Investigated delamination damage in composite laminates under low‐velocity impacts. Conducted influence analysis using experimentally calibrated models.