Loading-unloading response of circular GLARE fiber-metal laminates under lateral indentation

GLARE is a Fiber-Metal laminated material used in aerospace structures which are frequently subjected to various impact damages. Hence, the response of GLARE plates subjected to lateral indentation is very important. In this paper, analytical expressions are derived and a non-linear finite element modeling procedure is proposed in order to predict the static load-indentation curves of circular GLARE plates during loading and unloading by a hemispherical indentor. We have recently published analytical formulas and a finite element procedure for the static indentation of circular GLARE plates which are now used during the loading stage. Here, considering that aluminum layers are in a state of membrane yield and employing energy balance during unloading, the unloading path is determined. Using this unloading path, an algebraic equation is derived for calculating the permanent dent depth of the GLARE plate after the indentor’s withdrawal. Furthermore, our finite element procedure is modified in order to simulate the unloading stage as well. The derived formulas and the proposed finite element modeling procedure are applied successfully to GLARE 2-2/1-0.3 and to GLARE 3-3/2-0.4 circular plates. The analytical results are compared with corresponding FEM results and a good agreement is found. The analytically calculated permanent dent depth is within 6 % for the GLARE 2 plate, and within 7 % for the GLARE 3 plate, of the corresponding numerically calculated result. No other solution of this problem is known to the authors.