Numerical–analytical model for transient dynamics of elastic-plastic plate under eccentric low-velocity impact

•A hybrid numerical-analytical model is presented for elastic-plastic plate impact.•The model has been verified by the experiment of sphere-plate impact.•The impact-induced waves have been detected by the experiments and the model.•The accuracy and efficiency are verified by three-dimensional finite element simulations. The aim of this study is to present an efficient model for the analysis of complicated nonlinear transient dynamics of an elastic-plastic plate subjected to a transversely eccentric low-velocity impact. A mixed numerical–analytical model is presented to predict the transient dynamic behaviours consisting of either plate impact responses or wave propagations induced by the impact in a plate with an arbitrary shape and support. This hybrid approach has been validated by comparison with results of laboratory tests performed on an elastic-perfectly plastic narrow plate eccentrically struck by an elastic sphere, and results of a three-dimensional finite element (FE) analysis for an elastic-perfectly plastic simply-supported rectangular plate eccentrically struck by an elastic sphere. The advantages of this hybrid approach are in the simplification of local contact force formulation, computational efficiency over the FE model, and convenient application to parametric study for eccentric impact behaviour. The hybrid approach can provide accurate predictions of the plate impact responses and plate wave propagations.