A recently developed constitutive model is implemented into LS-DYNA as a user defined material model (UMAT) to characterize the nonlinear strain rate dependent behavior of polymers. By utilizing this model within a micromechanics technique based on a laminate analogy, an algorithm to analyze the strain rate dependent, nonlinear deformation of a fiber reinforced polymer matrix composite is then developed as a UMAT to simulate the response of these composites under high strain rate impact. The models are designed for shell elements in order to ensure computational efficiency. Experimental and numerical stress-strain curves are compared for two representative polymers and a representative polymer matrix composite, with the analytical model predicting the experimental response reasonably well. Zheng, Xia-Hua and Goldberg, Robert K. and Binienda, Wieslaw K. and Roberts, Gary D. Glenn Research Center NASA/TM-2003-212583, E-14123, NAS 1.15:212583

Conference proceedings of the Fourteenth American Society for Composites held on the September 27-29 1999 at the Holiday Inn-1675 Conference Centre, Fairborn, Ohio.

With the upsurge in terrorism in recent years and the possibility of accidental blast threats, there is growing interest in manufacturing blast 'hardened' structures and retrofitting blast mitigation materials to existing structures. Composites provide the ideal material for blast protection as they can be engineered to give different levels of protection by varying the reinforcements and matrices.Part one discusses general technical issues with chapters on topics such as blast threats and types of blast damage, processing polymer matrix composites for blast protection, standards and specifications for composite blast protection materials, high energy absorbing composite materials for blast resistant design, modelling the blast response of hybrid laminated composite plates and the response of composite panels to blast wave pressure loadings. Part two reviews applications including ceramic matrix composites for ballistic protection of vehicles and personnel, using composites to protect military vehicles from mine blasts, blast protection of buildings using FRP matrix composites, using composites in blast resistant walls for offshore, naval and defence related structures, using composites to improve the blast resistance of columns in buildings, retrofitting using fibre reinforced polymer composites for blast protection of buildings and retrofitting to improve the blast response of concrete masonry walls.With its distinguished editor and team of expert contributors, Blast protection of civil infrastructures and vehicles using composites is a standard reference for all those concerned with protecting structures from the effects of blasts in both the civil and military sectors. - Reviews the role of composites in blast protection with an examination of technical issues, applications of composites and ceramic matrix composites - Presents numerical examples of simplified blast load computation and an overview of the basics of high explosives includes important properties and physical forms - Varying applications of composites for protection are explored including military and non-military vehicles and increased resistance in building columns and masonry walls

The fifth volume of the ASC series on advanced composites contains critical information on static and dynamic composite failure and how it is predicted and modeled using novel computational methods and micromechanical analysis.