Composites are used extensively in engineering applications. A constant concern is the effect of foreign object impacts on composite structures because significant damage can occur and yet be undetectable by visual inspection. Such impacts can range from the most ordinary at low velocity--a tool dropped on a product--to the hypervelocity impact of space debris on a spacecraft. This book explains how damage develops during impact, the effect of impact-induced damage on the mechanical behavior of structures, and methods of damage prediction and detection. Numerous examples are included to...

Composites are used extensively in engineering applications. A constant concern is the effect of foreign object impacts on composite structures because significant damage can occur and yet be undetectable by visual inspection. Such impacts can range from the most ordinary at low velocity--a tool dropped on a product--to the hypervelocity impact of space debris on a spacecraft. This book explains how damage develops during impact, the effect of impact-induced damage on the mechanical behavior of structures, and methods of damage prediction and detection. Numerous examples are included to...

This book provides an introduction to the mechanics of composite materials. It examines ways to model the impact event, to determine the size and severity of the damage and discusses general trends observed during experiments.

This volume showcases recent advances in modeling impact-induced failure, focusing on the dynamic response of a variety of composite and sandwich structures to the forces generated by crashes and explosions, including rare data for full-scale explosive tests.

The book provides an introduction to the mechanics of composite materials, written for graduate students and practitioners in industry. It examines ways to model the impact event, to determine the size and severity of the damage and discusses general trends observed during experiments.