Response to Impacts in Composites Containing Foam

Abstract

Glass-epoxy composites with and without the flexible foam layers, included at different locations during lay up, were made and subjected to impacts with low mass pendulum tups. The first impacts were done repeatedly with a lower mass whereas for the second (final) a tup with a higher mass was selected. While three sheets of 6 mm thick foam layers constituted one type of foam-containing composite, two selections of another foam sheet of 9 mm thickness formed the second variety. The data points to the higher absorption of impact energy by the foam bearing samples. The post-impact macroscopic features are catalogued and discussed.