High-velocity impact response of titanium-based fiber metal laminates. Part II: Analytical modeling

Abstract

This two-part article scrutinizes the influence of metal layer distribution through the thickness of titanium-based fiber metal laminates (FMLs) on their high-velocity projectile impact response and damage. The four different layups of FMLs consist of layers of glass fiber/epoxy and Ti-6Al-4V titanium alloy sheets, exhibiting the thickness of the total metal layer the same. Part I presents the experimental investigations of fully clamped FMLs demonstrating performance parameters, damage mechanisms, and ballistic resistance. Part II concerns the ballistic impact behavior of FMLs using analytical modeling, which is based on test results obtained in an accompanying study. An equivalent mass-spring system is used to obtain the transient deformation, ballistic limit, and absorbed energy of the laminate by various mechanisms. Good agreement is obtained between experimental and analytical ballistic limit velocity. The foremost part of the total energy absorption is by bending and membrane energy absorption (68 % - 72 %), with FML 4/3-0.3 absorbing a higher percentage of aforementioned energies followed by that of both FMLs 3/2 and FML 2/1-0.6. The predicted total energy absorption by several damage mechanisms of FMLs at the ballistic limit displays a reasonable matching with experiments.