Experimental and Numerical Investigation of Ice Behavior for Hail Impact Modeling

This study focuses on accurately reproducing hail impact conditions in experiments and simulations to assess damage resistance in flax fiber-reinforced polypropylene (Flax/PP) laminates. Ensuring realistic threat replication requires precise ice characterization and modeling.

The mechanical behavior of pure and cotton-reinforced ice, following ASTM standards for aeronautical applications, is analyzed to determine the most suitable surrogate for hail. Numerical modeling explores different strategies, including Lagrangian, SPH, and hybrid approaches, to accurately simulate impact loads on composites.

A series of gas-gun impact tests at varying velocities were conducted, incorporating high-speed diagnostics such as a high-frame-rate camera to capture ice and composite failure mechanisms and Photonic Doppler Velocimetry (PDV) for rear surface velocity measurements. Integrating experimental data with simulations refines predictive models for hail damage mechanisms.

By addressing the complexities of ice impact modeling, this study advances predictive tools for assessing impact resistance in sustainable composites with applications in the automotive and aerospace sectors.