Experimental study on compressive failure mechanism of low-velocity-impact-damaged composite laminates

The compressive failure mechanism of low-velocity-impacted composite laminates was studied by means of delamination configuration obtained by ultrasonic C-scan, strain field by strain gauges, and damage process by acoustic emission. The results show that serious stress concentration appears leading to subsequent fiber breakage and triggering catastrophic failure of the laminate because of unsymmetrical delamination distribution within the laminate. The key factor in compressive failure mechanism of impacted composite laminates was fiber breakage rather than delamination propagation.