Title: Experimental study of impact on SMC composites used in the automotive industry

Authors: Gabriel Centeno, Francisco G. Benitez, Johan P. Wideberg

Addresses: Transportation Engineering, Escuela Superior de Ingenieros, Universidad de Sevilla, Av. Camino de los Descubrimientos s/n, Sevilla 41092, Espana. ' Transportation Engineering, Escuela Superior de Ingenieros, Universidad de Sevilla, Av. Camino de los Descubrimientos s/n, Sevilla 41092, Espana. ' Transportation Engineering, Escuela Superior de Ingenieros, Universidad de Sevilla, Av. Camino de los Descubrimientos s/n, Sevilla 41092, Espana

Abstract: The signal from a piezoelectric sensor received by a data acquisition system was used to record the temporal evolution of the force transmitted by an impactor on specimens of an SMC composite. A high-speed motion analyser recorded the sequence of images of the impact and fracture of the material. The subsequent processing of this sequence using an image analysis programme provided data for the calculation of various energy magnitudes. The behaviour under impact of this material was then characterised on the basis of these energy magnitudes and the temporal evolution of the force.

Keywords: SMC composites; automotive composites; automobile industry; experimental testing; vehicle design; piezoelectric sensors; impact; fracture; automotive panels; low-energy impact; failure mechanisms.

DOI: 10.1504/IJVD.2007.013644

International Journal of Vehicle Design, 2007 Vol.44 No.3/4, pp.282 - 292

Published online: 10 May 2007 *

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