Date of Award

6-2015

Degree Name

MS in Mechanical Engineering

Department/Program

Mechanical Engineering

Advisor

Joseph Mello

Abstract

The Hashin failure criteria and damage evolution model for laminated fiber reinforced polymers are explored. A series of tensile coupon finite element analyses are run to characterize the variables in the physical model as well as modeling techniques for using an explicit dynamic solver for a quasi-static problem. An attempt to validate the model on an axial tube crush is presented. It was found that fiber buckling was not occurring at the impactor-tube interface. Results and speculation as to why the failure initiation is incorrect are discussed. Lessons learned from the tube crush are applied successfully to the quasi-static Formula SAE nosecone crush test. The model is validated by experimental data and the impact metrics between the test and model are within 5%. Future work and possible optimization techniques are discussed.

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