Use of the Shadow Moire Technique for the Investigation of the Impact Behaviour of Composite Laminates

Abstract

A method is proposed which allows for the experimental identification of the behaviour of composite laminates during a transverse impact. The method combines the well known shadow moiré technique with high speed streak photography to record the deflections of a laminate during an experiment. Onset and growth of properly oriented matrix cracks and fibre breakage at the back of the laminate also can be followed. From the photographs thus obtained, quantitative information can be extracted for the identification of the impact behaviour and for validation purposes of numerical simulations.