Damage characteristics of T800 CFRP laminates under typical impacts

In response to the research demand for the impact resistance of carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) laminates commonly used in aircraft, spherical fragment penetration and static blast tests were conducted on T800/3200 CFRP laminates, with CT scanning technology and damage assessment theories employed for further analysis. The damage characteristics and performance of T800/3200 CFRP laminates under two typical loads-fragment penetration and explosive shock waves-were investigated and compared with 2024-T3 aluminum, a material widely used in the aviation manufacturing industry. Two control groups were established: tungsten fragments impacting aerospace aluminum plates and tungsten steel fragments striking CFRP laminates. Impact velocities and residual velocities were precisely measured using high-speed photography. During fragment penetration tests, relationships among incident velocity, residual velocity, and energy absorption were analyzed based on the Recht–Ipson ballistic limit model. The internal damage morphology of CFRP targets was examined in detail using high-resolution CT scanning technology to characterize delamination patterns and progressive failure across different depths and plies. In blast tests, the damage morphology and maximum deflection of target plates were systematically observed and recorded. The blast resistance of CFRP laminates and aluminum plates was quantitatively compared using advanced mathematical methods incorporating boundary condition equivalence and overpressure equivalence principles to ensure a fair and accurate comparison. The results show that, after spherical fragment penetration, the T800/3200 CFRP laminate generates a delamination damage zone resembling a truncated cone, with the volume of the cone decreasing as the penetration velocity of fragments increases. The T800/3200 CFRP laminate exhibits inferior performance against fragment penetration compared with aerospace aluminum but offers significantly enhanced blast resistance. This characteristic makes it more effective in maintaining structural safety and aerodynamic stability during flight missions under explosive threats. The findings provide theoretical and empirical support for improving the safety and reliability of aerospace vehicles through optimized material selection and structural design.