Crashworthiness of Composite Materials & Structures for Vehicle Applications

In this paper, the impact energy absorption behavior of carbon and glass fiber composite materials will be discussed. In particular, the crush behavior of cylindrical and conical structures will be evaluated based on micromechanical failure modes. Studies show that stiffness and strength of the constituent materials alone cannot be used to design impact structures. Experimental results also show that by controlling the mode of micromechanical damage, crush efficiency can be maximized. Moreover, crushed structures which form many microcracks in the fiber and resin have increased energy absorption. Based on these results, some generic design guidelines for improving the energy absorption capacity of composite structures will be shown.