Modeling and calculating the transverse impact response of an elastic-plastic fiber-like material

The fiber-like materials, that have a long and thin geometric feature, are often adopted in various composite materials and structures and transverse impact response is key for design and service. In this paper, we develop a theoretical model for characterizing the dynamic mechanical response upon transverse impact on an elastic-plastic fiber-like material. Numerical analysis is then carried out for revealing the impact history with timing. The stress waves that are generated and propagate along both longitudinal and transverse directions of fiber-like material are considered. The motion of fiber-like material as well as the accompanied elastic-plastic deformation is given. Resultantly, a triangle-like configuration of fiber-like material in impact process is displayed. Furthermore, the effects of initial impact velocity on the triangle-like configuration of fiber-like material and the Eulerian transverse wave speed are addressed and their relations are analyzed. These results are verified against experimental data. At a given initial impact velocity, the motion of fiber-like material and the accompanied elastic-plastic deformation induced by longitudinal stress wave are presented. With the increase of initial impact velocity, a higher Eulerian transverse wave speed is produced, which induces a faster motion of fiber-like material and a larger range of displacement.