The Hashin failure criteria and damage evolution model for laminated fiber reinforced polymers are explored. A series of tensile coupon finite element analyses are run to characterize the variables in the physical model as well as modeling techniques for using an explicit dynamic solver for a quasi-static problem. An attempt to validate the model on an axial tube crush is presented. It was found that fiber buckling was not occurring at the impactor-tube interface. Results and speculation as to why the failure initiation is incorrect are discussed. Lessons learned from the tube crush are applied successfully to the quasi-static Formula SAE nosecone crush test. The model is validated by experimental data and the impact metrics between the test and model are within 5%. Future work and possible optimization techniques are discussed.
","abstract_html":"<p>The Hashin failure criteria and damage evolution model for laminated fiber reinforced polymers are explored. A series of tensile coupon finite element analyses are run to characterize the variables in the physical model as well as modeling techniques for using an explicit dynamic solver for a quasi-static problem. An attempt to validate the model on an axial tube crush is presented. It was found that fiber buckling was not occurring at the impactor-tube interface. Results and speculation as to why the failure initiation is incorrect are discussed. Lessons learned from the tube crush are applied successfully to the quasi-static Formula SAE nosecone crush test. The model is validated by experimental data and the impact metrics between the test and model are within 5%. Future work and possible optimization techniques are discussed.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Rappolt, John T"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"MS in Mechanical Engineering","degree_level":null,"degree_discipline":"Mechanical Engineering","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Joseph Mello"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2015,"date_issued":"2015-06-01T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2015-06-01T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:31:35Z","subjects":["FEA","carbon fiber","progressive damage","Hashin","Automotive Engineering","Computer-Aided Engineering and Design","Mechanical Engineering","Mechanics of Materials"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["10.15368/theses.2015.82"],"render_values":[{"text":"10.15368/theses.2015.82","href":"https://doi.org/10.15368/theses.2015.82","code":true}]}]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/theses/1426","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Joseph Mello"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Rappolt, John T"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2015-06-11T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Mechanical Engineering"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["MS in Mechanical Engineering"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["FEA","carbon fiber","progressive damage","Hashin","Automotive Engineering","Computer-Aided Engineering and Design","Mechanical Engineering","Mechanics of Materials"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/theses/1426","10.15368/theses.2015.82"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["The Hashin failure criteria and damage evolution model for laminated fiber reinforced polymers are explored. A series of tensile coupon finite element analyses are run to characterize the variables in the physical model as well as modeling techniques for using an explicit dynamic solver for a quasi-static problem. An attempt to validate the model on an axial tube crush is presented. It was found that fiber buckling was not occurring at the impactor-tube interface. Results and speculation as to why the failure initiation is incorrect are discussed. Lessons learned from the tube crush are applied successfully to the quasi-static Formula SAE nosecone crush test. The model is validated by experimental data and the impact metrics between the test and model are within 5%. Future work and possible optimization techniques are discussed.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Analysis of a Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer Impact Attenuator for a Formula SAE Vehicle Using Finite Element Analysis"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Joseph Mello"],"dc:creator":["Rappolt, John T"],"dc:date.available":["2015-06-11T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["The Hashin failure criteria and damage evolution model for laminated fiber reinforced polymers are explored. A series of tensile coupon finite element analyses are run to characterize the variables in the physical model as well as modeling techniques for using an explicit dynamic solver for a quasi-static problem. An attempt to validate the model on an axial tube crush is presented. It was found that fiber buckling was not occurring at the impactor-tube interface. Results and speculation as to why the failure initiation is incorrect are discussed. Lessons learned from the tube crush are applied successfully to the quasi-static Formula SAE nosecone crush test. The model is validated by experimental data and the impact metrics between the test and model are within 5%. Future work and possible optimization techniques are discussed.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://digitalcommons.calpoly.edu/theses/1426","10.15368/theses.2015.82"],"dc:subject":["FEA","carbon fiber","progressive damage","Hashin","Automotive Engineering","Computer-Aided Engineering and Design","Mechanical Engineering","Mechanics of Materials"],"dc:title":["Analysis of a Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer Impact Attenuator for a Formula SAE Vehicle Using Finite Element Analysis"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Mechanical Engineering"],"thesis:degree_name":["MS in Mechanical Engineering"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T01:31:35Z"}