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Multiscale Characterization and Evaluation of Low-Energy Bird-Strike Damage in CFRP
Hongshuai Huang1, Bowen Yang1, Yu Cao2
1College of Aviation Engineering, Civil Aviation Flight University of China, Guanghan 618307, China.
Materials (Basel, Switzerland)
|May 13, 2026
Summary
This study introduces a multiscale method to evaluate barely visible impact damage (BVID) in carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) laminates. It quantifies damage progression and provides a grading system for residual strength after impacts.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Mechanical Engineering
- Aerospace Engineering
Background:
- Carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) laminates are prone to barely visible impact damage (BVID) from low-energy impacts, such as bird strikes.
- Previous damage assessments for BVID in CFRP were often limited to a single scale, hindering comprehensive evaluation.
- Understanding BVID is critical for ensuring the structural integrity and safety of CFRP components in aerospace and automotive applications.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate a multiscale characterization and evaluation framework for BVID in CFRP laminates.
- To investigate the evolution of impact damage under varying low-energy impact conditions.
- To establish a quantitative grading system for BVID severity and assess the residual compression-after-impact (CAI) strength.
Main Methods:
- Integrated analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and CRITIC weighting method for multiscale damage evaluation.
- Phased-array ultrasonic C-scanning for delamination area (S_Da) assessment.
- 3D optical profilometry for indentation depth (P_D) measurement and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for surface crack analysis (R_A).
Main Results:
- Impact energy correlated positively with indentation depth, delamination area, and energy dissipation.
- Compression-after-impact (CAI) strength decreased significantly with increasing impact energy, reaching a maximum degradation of 41.16%.
- A transition point was identified where delamination growth stabilized, and intralaminar cracking/fiber fracture became more prominent.
Conclusions:
- The proposed multiscale framework enables quantitative grading of BVID severity in CFRP laminates.
- The study provides a practical methodology for assessing the residual damage and structural integrity of impacted CFRP components.
- Findings are crucial for improving damage tolerance design and maintenance strategies for CFRP structures subjected to low-energy impacts.
