Author(s)

R. Dechaene, J. Degrieck & G. Lens

Abstract

The behaviour of fibre-reinforced plastics composites under impact remains a matter of concern. There is a need for generally applicable tools which can predict the development of damage and the energy dissipation of a structure under impact loading. Whereas the theory of plasticity forms a mathematically sound and elegant foundation for the analysis of all metal structures, the apparent brittleness and the nature of the observed damage preclude the use of this theory for composites. In this contribution a basic model for the simulation of impact damage in quasi- brittle composites is presented. The model is based on continuum damage mechanics. A fundamental starting point is the so-called basic damage curve, which gives the relation between damage an

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