Open Access

ARTICLE

Low-Velocity Impact Properties of Quad and Double-Double Composite Laminates

Muhammad Mudassar¹, Lei Cai¹, Qi Zhang², Deng’an Cai^1,*
1 State Key Laboratory of Mechanics and Control for Aerospace Structures, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing, China
2 Shandong Province Key Laboratory for Electromagnetic Control and Multifunctional Integration Technology of Aerospace Electromagnetic Functional Structure, Research Institute for Special Structures of Aeronautical Composites, AVIC, Jinan, China
* Corresponding Author: Deng’an Cai. Email:
(This article belongs to the Special Issue: Structure, Design and Mechanism of Flight Composite Materials)

Journal of Polymer Materials https://doi.org/10.32604/jpm.2026.080344

Received 07 February 2026; Accepted 23 April 2026; Published online 18 May 2026

Abstract

In this work, a comprehensive numerical study of the low-velocity impact (LVI) behavior of QUAD laminates vs. Double-Double (DD) stacking sequences has been performed. Finite element models were drawn, and analyses carried out in Abaqus/Explicit employing continuum shell elements (SC8R) for the plies, cohesive elements (COH3D8) for the delamination interfaces, and the built-in Hashin damage criterion for intralaminar failure. Two different impact energies (50 and 100 J) were applied using a hemispherical impactor mass of 6.25 kg, and the impact histories were investigated in force-time, displacement-time, and energy-absorption responses. The QUAD layup provided the stiffest response and highest peak contact forces, while it dissipated less energy, suggesting lower damage tolerance. Among the DD configurations, the variant designed for equal extensional stiffness (DI) had the lowest peak forces, the variant optimized with constraints on both extensional and bending stiffness (DIII) had the highest displacements and absorbable energies, and the variant designed for equal bending stiffness (DII) achieved intermediary results with values ranging appropriately when compared to QUAD. These results show that numerical simulation is able to reproduce the influence of stacking sequences on resistance and damage growth, which offers a more economical way to select laminate layups before experimental work. The simulations also indicate that the Double-Double design can result in distributed energy absorption due to increased delamination and matrix cracking, demonstrating its potential as a candidate design for impact-resistant structures.

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Keywords

QUAD laminates; double-double laminates; low-velocity impact; absorbed energy

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