Impact Simulation and Experiments

We combine computational and experimental work on composite structures under impact, from low-velocity impacts to hail and ballistic events. Efficient layerwise models are coupled with semi-empirical contact laws, enabling rapid simulations of impact force and stress fields.

1. Low-velocity impact on laminates and sandwich plates
   • Related Publication(s):
     D. K. Siorikis et al., “Experimental and Numerical Investigation of Contact Laws for the Rapid Simulation of Low-Energy Impacts on Laminated Composite Plates”, Composite Structures, 168, 646–656, 2017.

     C. S. Rekatsinas et al., “Analysis of Low Velocity Impacts on Sandwich Composite Plates using Cubic Spline Layerwise Theory and Semi Empirical Contact Law”, Composite Structures, 194, 158–169, 2018.

2. Nonlinear layerwise elements for sandwich impacts
   • Related Publication(s):
     C. S. Rekatsinas et al., “A non-linear cubic spline layerwise time domain spectral finite element for the analysis of impacts on sandwich structures”, Composite Structures, 260, 113531, 2021.
3. Hail and ballistic impact
   • Related Publication(s):
     C. S. Rekatsinas et al., “An efficient computational framework for hailstone impacts on composite plates utilizing a semi-empirical viscoplastic contact law”, International Journal of Impact Engineering, 178, 104628, 2023.

     C. Rekatsinas et al., “Micromechanics-based multi-scale framework with strain-rate effects for the simulation of ballistic impact on composite laminates”, Journal of Composite Materials, 58(27), 2897–2914, 2024.

4. Impact on smart structures
   • Related Publication(s):
     D. A. Saravanos, A. P. Christoforou, “Impact Response of Adaptive Piezoelectric Laminated Plates”, AIAA Journal, 40(10), 2087–2095, 2002.

Applications

• Aircraft and wind turbine structures under hail and bird strike
• Ballistic protection
• Sandwich panels for transport structures
• Impact detection and localization