Damage-rate-dependent model for impact crushing of thin-ply CFRP tubes

The dynamic crushing behavior of CFRP tubular specimens with thin-ply laminates is investigated using both experimental studies and finite element modeling. In the proposed constitutive model, rate effects are incorporated using internal damage-rate variables rather than individual strain-rate tensor components. The model is calibrated using impact-test data for CFRP and implemented in Abaqus/Explicit via a VUMAT subroutine. Simulations of tubes with various layups reproduce key experimental observations, including primary failure modes, force–displacement responses, and energy absorption. Accurate prediction of fully developed longitudinal cracks in 0° tubes required extreme mesh refinement, as confirmed by sector analysis of the tube. A detailed analysis of the spatial distribution of damage modes is provided. The proposed approach demonstrates the effectiveness of the rate-dependent modeling framework for predicting the dynamic response of thin-ply composites.