Dynamic analysis of an elasto-plastic sandwich subjected to low velocity impact

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to analyse the dynamic behaviour of an elasto-plastic sandwich subjected to low velocity impact.Design methodology approach - A numerical model is developed with the assumption that the plastic deformation is confined under the contact area. The structure is analyzed using the in-house finite element code with an appropriate contact law. During the impact progression, two phases (elastic and plastic) related to the impact intensity are considered in the dynamic model. The proportional viscous damping is incorporated in the model. An elasto-plastic impact algorithm is established to determine the impact force, the sandwich structure displacement and indentation.Findings - The numerical results are validated by experimental dropping weight impact tests. The influences of the impactor radius, the core material variation and the impactor initial velocity on the dynamic behaviour of the impacted structure are studied.Originality value - In order to study the low velocity impact problems by considering the caused plastic deformations, a simple numerical elasto-plastic impact model of sandwich structure is proposed.