Impact and tension-after-impact behaviors of scarf-repaired composite laminates: An experimental and numerical approach

The impact and tension-after-impact behaviors of scarf-repaired composites were investigated. Low-velocity impact tests were performed to determine the impact responses and impact damages. And the influences of impact damages on the residual tensile strength and failure modes were discussed. Then numerical models were proposed to elucidate the impact damage mechanism and predict the residual tensile strength. The numerical results agree well with the test results and indicate that delamination initiates early during the impact process, followed by matrix damage, while adhesive damage occurs at the last. And the main reason for tensile strength reduction is adhesive damage caused by pre-impact.