Numerical Analysis on Low-Velocity Impact Damage and Residual Strength of Foam Sandwich Composites

Based on gradually cumulative damage theory and data transferring analysis method, a full numerical analysis method was presented to simulate the low-velocity impact and the compression failure process after low-velocity impact for foam sandwich composites, which simulated the whole process of the impact of foam sandwich composites and damage propagation under compressive load for the sandwich composites with impact-damage. The results show that the method enhanced the prediction precision for the ultimate failure load and residual strength because the method avoided the artificial assumption for the damage state made by previous scholars after the sandwich composite was impacted, and directly transferred the impact damage to study the residual strength. The numerical simulation results were in good agreement with tested results.