The Failure Mechanism of Carbon Fiber Composite Laminates Under Multiple Low‐Velocity Impacts

ABSTRACT This study investigated the low‐velocity impact behavior of carbon fiber‐reinforced composite laminates through both experimental testing and finite element simulation. One‐, two‐, and three‐time low‐velocity impact tests were conducted using a drop hammer testing machine, and corresponding finite element simulations were performed in ABAQUS. Digital image correlation was employed to capture the damage evolution and deformation behavior during impact. The effects of impact number and impact energy on the mechanical response and failure mechanisms of the laminates were analyzed. The experimental and simulation results demonstrate that both parameters significantly influence the impact response of the composites. At impact energies of 16.17 and 18.865 J, the peak impact force increased with the number of impacts. However, at 21.56 J, the peak force during the third impact decreased due to severe damage accumulation from the second impact. These findings provide valuable data and insights for the analysis and structural design of laminates subjected to multiple low‐velocity impacts.