Damage characteristics of CFRP laminate upon hypervelocity impact

Abstract

This study examines the evolution of damage morphology in carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) laminate under hypervelocity impact by an 8 mm aluminum projectile. Three failure patterns of the projectile are observed, with the projectile being intact, ruptured, or smashed at different velocities. Additionally, the time-frequency spectrum also reveals three distinct modes: initially showing a rising double peak, transitioning to a monotonically decreasing double peak, and eventually culminating in an isolated single peak as the velocity increases. The first peak in the discrete wavelet transformation frequency spectrum may be associated with an initial shear failure upon penetration into the CFRP laminate, while the second peak may be associated with subsequent fiber breakage behind the target. These findings provide valuable information for engineering robust defense structures and assessing damage scenarios in spacecraft.