Modelling of Bird Strike on an Aircraft Wing Leading Edge Made from Fibre Metal Laminates – Part 1: Material Modelling

Fibre Metal Laminates with layers of aluminium alloy and high strength glass fibre composite have been reported to possess excellent impact properties and be suitable for aircraft parts likely to be subjected to impacts from objects such as runway debris or birds. In a collaborative research project, aircraft wing leading edge structures with a glass-based FML skin have been designed, built, and subjected to bird strike tests that have been modelled with finite element analysis. In this first part of a two-part paper, a material model developed for FML suitable for use in impact modelling with explicit finite element analysis is presented. The material model is based on a recent implementation in the commercial finite element code PAM-CRASH/SHOCK of a Continuum Damage Mechanics (CDM) model for composites, incorporating anisotropic strain rate effects. Results from the model are compared with experimental results on FML at variable strain rates and the model is shown to be capable of capturing most of the complex strain rate dependent behaviour exhibited by these materials.