Computational studies on hybrid composites

subjected to bird impact

S.Abishe J. Sruthiharan2 Final Atharva Todkar Amol3
1
k Year UG Student, (Department of Final Year UG Student,
Final year UG Student, Aerospace) Hindustan Institute (Department of Aerospace) line 1: 4th Given Name Surname
(Department of Aerospace) Of Technology And Science Hindustan Institute Of line 2: dept. name of
Hindustan Institute Of Chennai, India Technology And Science organization (of Affiliation)
Technology And Science [email protected] Chennai. India line 3: name of organization (of
Chennai, India v.ac.in [email protected] Affiliation)
[email protected] v.ac.in line 4: City, Country
v.ac.in line 5: email address or ORCID

Abstract—Bird strikes pose a significant risk to aerospace materials, we aim to create a hybrid composite that maximizes
structures, necessitating advanced impact-resistant materials and strength while improving resistance to high-speed impacts like
predictive modeling techniques. This study presents a numerical bird strikes on turbofan blades.
investigation of bird strike impacts on Carbon Fiber Reinforced
Polymer (CFRP)-Kevlar hybrid composite plates using a
Lagrangian-based finite element model in LS-DYNA. The In this study, we use numerical simulations in LS-DYNA to
analysis considers varying impact velocities to evaluate key analyze how CFRP-Kevlar hybrid composites respond to bird
structural responses, including stress distribution, deformation, strikes at different velocities. Our goal is to understand how
delamination, and energy absorption. The Lagrangian approach the material absorbs energy, deforms, and withstands damage,
effectively captures localized damage and failure mechanisms providing insights that could help improve the next generation
within the composite plates, providing critical insights into their of impact-resistant turbofan blades.
behavior under high-velocity impacts. The results contribute to
the optimization of hybrid composite materials for improved bird
strike resistance, supporting the development of safer and more II. NUMERICAL MODELLING
resilient aerospace structures.
A. Finite Element Model
Keywords—Bird strike, CFRP-Kevlar hybrid composites,
Lagrangian model, LS-DYNA, impact simulation, aerospace The finite element model (FEM) for the bird strike simulation
structures. was developed using LS-DYNA, incorporating a Lagrangian-
based approach to accurately capture the structural response of
I. INTRODUCTION
the CFRP-Kevlar hybrid composite plate under high-velocity
impacts. The model consists of two primary components: the
Bird strikes are a well-known hazard in aviation, posing a bird model and the composite target plate.
serious risk to critical aircraft components like turbofan blades
and fuselage structures. At high velocities, even a small bird
The composite plate was modeled as a multi-layered laminate,
can cause significant damage, leading to costly repairs,
utilizing laminated shell elements to represent individual plies.
performance loss, or, in worst cases, complete engine failure.
The stacking sequence was designed to enhance impact
As aircraft manufacturers push for lighter, stronger, and more
resistance, with Kevlar layers placed on the outer surfaces to
impact-resistant materials, composite materials have emerged
improve energy absorption and CFRP layers positioned within
as a promising solution.
the core to maintain structural integrity. The material
properties of CFRP and Kevlar were defined using orthotropic
Among these, Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) and material models, incorporating Hashin’s failure criteria to
Kevlar hybrids stand out for their unique combination of simulate fiber breakage and matrix cracking [1], [2].
properties. CFRP offers exceptional stiffness and strength,
making it ideal for aerospace applications. However, it's also
The bird model was developed using a Lagrangian
brittle under sudden impacts, which can lead to fiber breakage
formulation, representing the bird as a soft-body cylinder with
and delamination. Kevlar, on the other hand, is known for its
an equivalent density and bulk modulus matching real bird
toughness and energy absorption, helping to distribute impact
tissue properties [3]. The bird’s geometry was based on the
forces and prevent catastrophic failure. By combining these

XXX-X-XXXX-XXXX-X/XX/$XX.00 ©20XX IEEE

Wilbeck model, which has been widely used for impact The impact is simulated at two velocities, 100 m/s and 150
simulations in aerospace studies [4]. m/s, representing typical bird strike conditions encountered in
commercial and military jet engines. The bird deforms
To ensure computational accuracy, the finite element mesh upon impact, transferring kinetic energy to the composite
was refined in regions of high deformation, particularly plate, causing localized stress concentration, delamination,
around the impact area. The composite plate was meshed with and potential fiber failure. The simulation captures stress
quadrilateral elements, whereas the bird model utilized wave propagation, energy dissipation, and progressive
tetrahedral elements to accommodate large deformations. A damage mechanisms in the hybrid composite, providing
mesh sensitivity study was conducted to balance insights into its suitability for turbofan blade applications.
computational efficiency and solution accuracy, ensuring that
results remained mesh-independent. C. Material Modelling

The boundary conditions were applied by fully constraining The CFRP-Kevlar hybrid composite is modeled using layered
the edges of the composite plate, mimicking a rigidly clamped shell elements in LS-DYNA to capture its anisotropic behavior
scenario representative of aircraft engine structures. The bird and impact response. CFRP layers provide high stiffness and
was assigned an initial velocity of 100 m/s and 150 m/s, strength, while Kevlar layers enhance impact resistance by
corresponding to typical bird strike events encountered in absorbing energy and reducing stress concentrations [12].
commercial and military aircraft engines [5][6]. Contact
interactions were modelled using a penalty-based contact To simulate failure mechanisms, the Hashin damage model is
algorithm, allowing for realistic force transfer between the used, predicting fiber breakage, matrix cracking, and shear
bird and composite plate while preventing excessive element failure based on stress and strain thresholds. Additionally,
penetration. progressive damage modeling is employed to track the
evolution of failure under high-velocity impacts, ensuring a
The numerical model was validated using existing realistic representation of energy dissipation and structural
experimental studies on bird strike impacts on composite integrity [13].
materials [7], ensuring that the simulated stress distribution
and failure patterns closely matched real-world observations. Material properties for CFRP and Kevlar are obtained from
This approach provides critical insights into the damage experimental studies, ensuring accuracy in numerical
mechanisms of CFRP-Kevlar hybrid composites and their modeling. The hybrid stacking sequence is optimized to
suitability for turbofan blade applications. balance strength, impact resistance, and durability, making it a
viable material for turbofan blade applications.
B. Bird Strike Representation
III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Accurately modeling a bird strike is crucial for predicting the
A. Impact Damage Analysis
dynamic impact response of aerospace structures. In numerical
simulations, different methods such as Smoothed Particle The simulation results for bird strikes at 100 m/s and 150 m
Hydrodynamics (SPH), Arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian (ALE), /s reveal distinct damage characteristics. Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 illust
and Lagrangian finite element modeling are commonly used to rate the impact-induced stress distribution and damage zones fo
represent the bird's behavior upon impact. For this study, a r both velocities. The CFRP-Kevlar composite exhibits localize
d delamination and fiber breakage, with the Kevlar layers absor
Lagrangian approach is chosen due to its ability to provide
bing a significant portion of the impact energy.
precise contact definition and material deformation tracking,
making it suitable for composite material impact simulations. At 100 m/s, the impact creates a moderate deformation with li
mited delamination in the composite plate. The stress distributi
The bird is modeled as a homogeneous cylindrical projectile, on remains concentrated around the impact zone, with minimal
following the standard approach used in bird strike impact fiber breakage in the CFRP layers
studies [8], [9]. The dimensions and density are selected based At 150 m/s, the damage intensity increases significantly. The st
on FAA and EASA bird strike certification requirements, ress distribution extends beyond the impact region, leading to
ensuring a realistic simulation environment [10]. The material more severe delamination and fiber fractures in the CFRP layer,
properties of the bird are assigned using a soft-body material as shown in Fig. 2. The Kevlar layers mitigate crack propagati
model, commonly approximated by a water-equivalent on, but the overall displacement is greater compared to the 100
density (≈ 1000 kg/m³) and low shear strength to replicate m/s case.
the real impact characteristics observed in experimental B. Energy Absorption And Displacement Analysis
studies [11].
The kinetic energy dissipation, total energy variation, and
displacement response of the CFRP-Kevlar hybrid composite

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were analyzed for impact velocities of 100 m/s and 150 m/s.  Use a zero before decimal points: “0.25”, not “.25”. Use
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Sample of a Table footnote. (Table footnote) notched plate under traction and torsion behavior. Frattura ed Integrità
Strutturale. 13. 331-341. 10.3221/IGF-ESIS.50.28.
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mewhat more stable than directly inserting a picture. [4] J. Wilbeck and M. Rand, “Impact behavior of birds on aircraft
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The preferred spelling of the word “acknowledgment” in A
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[1] M. C. Alves and V. H. C. de Albuquerque, “Failure criteria for IEEE conference templates contain guidance text for comp
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vol. 200, pp. 746–756, 2018. that all template text is removed from your conference
paper prior to submission to the conference. Failure to
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(2019). Using a Hashin Criteria to predict the Damage of composite ur paper not being published.