Enhancing composite crushing prediction with strain-rate-dependent numerical models

In this thesis, composite crushing was studied with specimens of increasing complexity in experiments and numerical simulations using LS-DYNA. Physically motivated discrete-ply models considering strain rate effects were shown to be essential for the predictive prognoses of crushing under high loading rates. However, stacked-laminate models exhibited promising results at reduced numerical costs. Further experimental and numerical studies of composites under strain rates above 5,000 1/s are recommended.