04.2 - Aerostructures Design, Structural Dynamics, Aeroelasticity

IMPACT RESISTANCE ENHANCEMENT IN FIBER-REINFORCED COMPOSITES USING CARBON/BASALT HYBRIDIZATION APPROACHES

Z. Sajid¹, T. Rehman¹, A.H. Baluch¹; ¹King Fahd University of Petroleum & Minerals, Saudi Arabia

Low-velocity impact (LVI) is a serious problem for aerospace composite structures. It can produce barely visible damage that reduces the structural integrity. This study experimentally investigates the low-velocity impact behavior of hybrid fiber-reinforced composites. Four different stacking configurations were prepared to evaluate the effect of fiber hybridization and layer sequencing on impact behavior. These hybrids are designed to overcome the impact limitations of traditional carbon fiber composites. The configurations included pure carbon (CCCC), pure basalt (BBBB), and two hybrid layups (CBBC and BCCB), where carbon (C) and basalt (B) plies were arranged in varying surface and core positions. Impact tests were carried out to measure force-time response, energy absorption, and damage patterns under low-velocity impact conditions. According to the impact test results, hybrid laminates outperformed monolithic composites in regard to impact performance. The order of peak forces for each configuration can be described as: CCCC > CBBC > BCCB > BBBB. Configurations with carbon fibers on their outer surfaces experienced greater force than configurations that used basalt fibers on their outer surfaces. Basalt-faced laminates absorbed more energy than carbon-faced laminates. BCCB was the configuration that absorbed the greatest amount of energy, supporting the conclusion that the combination of basalt and carbon fibers is an effective method for dissipating impact energies. The results of this study indicate that the use of strategic fiber combinations and stacking sequences provides a means for improving the impact resistance and damage tolerance of composite based aerospace structures.

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