Testing of Impact Behavior

Impact tests are carried out at a fast rate of loading to promote a brittle failure. Izod and Charpy tests are used for isotropic and laminated materials and are not suitable for unidirectional material, or out-of-plane measurements with laminated materials, since notches are not always effective. 

Out of plane impact testing onto a thin shell structure (e.g. to simulate dropping a tool, or the impact of stones, onto an aircraft structure).There are many variants of this test—the specimen can be simply supported or clamped, the projectile can be dropped or fired (1-10 m s ) and may take the form of a sphere, a cylinder with a hemispherical end or a dart. The energy and/or the test speed can be varied by adjusting the mass or drop height. The test can be instrumented to record the force, energy absorbed and the deflection. 

Transient tensile and compressive in-plane loads to thin shell structures (e.g. an unexpected service load at a high rate) 

Sustained in-plane compressive loads to thin and thick walled structures (e.g. crushing under 

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