Low-Velocity Impact Behavior of Foam Core Sandwich Panels with Inter-Ply and Intra-Ply Carbon/Kevlar/Epoxy Hybrid Face Sheets

Sandwich composites are extensively employed in a variety of applications because their bending stiffness affords a greater advantage than composite materials. However, the aspect limiting the application of the sandwich material is its poor impact resistance. Therefore, understanding the impact properties of the sandwich structure will determine the ways in which it can be used under the conditions of impact loading. Sandwich panels with different combinations of carbon/Kevlar woven monolithic face sheets, inter-ply face sheets and intra-ply face sheets were fabricated, using the vacuum-assisted resin transfer process. Instrumented low-velocity impact tests were performed using different energy levels of 5 J, 10 J, 20 J, 30 J and 40 J on a variety of samples and the results were assessed. The damage caused by the modes of failure in the sandwich structure include fiber breakage, matrix cracking, foam cracking and debonding. In sandwich panels with thin face sheets, the maximum peak load was achieved for the inter-ply hybrid foam core sandwich panel in which Kevlar was present towards the outer surface and carbon in the inner surface of the face sheet. At an impact energy of 40 J, the maximum peak load for the inter-ply hybrid foam core sandwich panel was 31.57% higher than for the sandwich structure in which carbon is towards the outer surface and Kevlar is in the inner surface of the face sheet. The intra-ply hybrid foam core sandwich panel subjected to 40 J impact energy demonstrated a 13.17% higher maximum peak load compared to the carbon monolithic face sheet sandwich panel. The experimental measurements and numerical predictions are in close agreement.