Investigation on effect of using rubber as core material in sandwich composite plate subjected to low velocity normal and oblique impact loading

Abstract

In this article, the structural performance of composite plate under low velocity impact is studied. Two forms of layup sequence namely jute-epoxy laminate (JE) and jute-epoxy-rubber sandwich (JE-R-JE) are considered for evaluation. Special emphasis is provided for evaluating the influence of normal and oblique loading. The various dynamic parameters such as energy, peak load, and deformation are analysed in detail to study the effect of impact angle on both laminate and sandwich. Stress analysis of both the laminate and sandwich structure is carried out to discuss the effect of introducing rubber as a core material. The results reveal that using rubber as a core material has a significant effect on energy absorption. In addition, it is noticed that increasing the angle of impact yields better performance of the composite plate. The results presented here may serve as benchmark for the effective utilization of composite plates in low velocity impact applications.