An experimental and finite element investigation of compression-after-impact (CAI) behaviour of biaxial carbon fibre non-crimp-fabric (NCF) based composites

The damage mechanisms of biaxial non-crimp-fabric (NCF) reinforced composites with a quasi-isotropic [(45/-45)(90/0)]4s layup subject to low-velocity impact (LVI) and compression-after-impact (CAI) loadings are investigated. Experimental results indicate that fibre compressive failure in the 0° plies controls peak load during CAI, which is influenced by out-of-plane transverse deformation impacted specimen. study proposes novel finite element (FE) model predict CAI strength NCF While number delaminations LVI less than actual multiple test specimen, same measured experiment still captured. predicted from subsequent good agreement experiment. provides potential numerical design tool for use materials damage-tolerant structures.