Abstract
CFRP composite laminates are widely used as structural materials for airplanes, automobile and aerospace vehicles because of their high strength and stiffness. This study aims to examine an effect of curvature on the penetration fracture characteristic of an orthotropic composite laminated shell. For the purpose, we manufactured orthotropic CFRP shell specimen with different curvatures, and conducted a penetration test using an air-gun. Those specimens were prepared to varied curvature radius(${\infty}$, 200mm, 150mm and 100mm)and were stacked to $[O^{\circ}{_3}/90^{\circ}{_3}]_s$. When the specimen is subjected to transverse impact by a steel sphere(${\Phi}10$), the velocity of steel sphere was measured both before and after impact by determining the time for it to pass two ball-screen sensors located a known distance apart. As the curvature increases, the absorption energy and the critical penetration energy increased linearly because the resistance to the bending moment. Patterns of cracks caused by the penetration of CFRP laminated shells included fiber breakage, lamina fracture, matrix crack interlaminar crack and intralaminar crack.