Effect of fibre architecture on impact response of glass-aluminium fibres metal laminates (FML)

Abstract

This paper investigates the drop weight impact behavior of glass fibre-aluminum (GFRP-AL FML) composites. The purpose of the research is to study the effect of different type of glass fibres architecture, i.e woven and unidirectional, with existence Al sheet in the middle of the glass fibre reinforced polymer composites (GFRP). The impact behaviour of these GFRP and GFRP-AL FMLs was investigated using a drop-weight impact tower at three different energy level, which are 10J, 20J and 30J. The Load-deflection curves were used to measure the absorbed energy. The results showed that the woven type of GFRP exhibited the highest peak load but lowest deflection thus reducing the total energy absorbed. In contrast, the unidirectional types of GFRP possessed the lowest peak load and highest deflection, which results in the highest energy absorbed. For the GFRP-AL FML composites, the energy absorbed obtained almost similar for both woven and unidirectional types. This is may be due to poor adhesion between the GFRP and Al sheet, thus make both materials separated and delaminated when subjected to impact load. The optical analysis proved that the GFRP-AL debonding, fibres breakage, fibres delamination and matrix cracking occurred during the impact loading. These are the main impact energy –absorption mechanisms involved during the test.