Tensile-after-Impact Strength of QI Composite Laminates with and without Ultra-Thin Plies

Quasi-static post-impact tensile tests (TAI) are performed to obtain the residual strength (after 16J impacts) under tensile loading. This value is essential for subsequent cyclic tensile loading tests, since it establishes the reference load level for those tests. To obtain it, quasi-static tensile tests were carried out on a group of five specimens from each of the two laminates studied (with and without ultra-thin plies). The tests were conducted on an Instron 8033 universal testing machine equipped with a 500 kN load cell.