Low-Velocity Impact Damage of Woven Carbon Sandwich

Abstract

The rise in demand and interest in arctic exploration has brought new challenges with regard to the mechanical behavior of lightweight sandwich composites used in offshore structures. Sandwich composites are typically preferred for ship structures due to their lightweight, enhanced performance and affordability. However, these materials typically experience drastic changes and degradation in their macro-andmicrostructures when exposed to seawater and cold temperatures in-service. Therefore, it is critical to have a detailed comprehension of the mechanical behavior and failure mechanisms of sandwich composites in low temperature conditions. Within the scope of the current study, low-velocity impact behavior of woven carbon/vinyl ester sandwich composites in low temperatures is investigated. Impact responses such as the contact force, displacement and absorbed energy, at three impact energies of 7.5, 15 and 30 J are determined for 4 different temperatures of 25 °C, 0 °C, -25°C and -50 °C. The change in impact force, the degree of damage and the failure mechanisms with varying impact energies and in-situ ambient temperatures are studied in this paper.