Numerical simulation method of low-velocity impact on SMA composite material

A method of improving the ability of low velocity impact resistance of composite material by using the super elastic property of shape memory alloy (SMA) was proposed. Based on the segmented linearization model of SMA and its simplified assumption, SMA super elastic constitutive model was developed by the VUMAT subroutine of ABAQUS. The numerical simulation model of low velocity impact of SMA reinforced composite material was established by ABAQUS to study how SMA absorb and discharge part of deformation energy by using hysteresis damping. Results show that the peak value of impact stress and the deflection of composite material decrease with the increase of SMA volume fraction, but the improvement of the deflection is not obvious at low SMA volume fraction (<10%). With the increase of SMA volume fraction, the impact energy absorption rate of SMA per unit volume decreases, and the SMA fiber has the highest energy absorption rate in the SMA volume fraction of 5%-10%. Numerical result shows that SMA fiber can effectively improve low velocity impact response performance of composite material.