The impact resistance of composite materials — a review

In this paper the impact response of continuous fibre-reinforced composites is reviewed. An attempt is made to draw together much of the work published in the literature and to identify the fundamental parameters determining the impact resistance of continuous fibre-reinforced composite materials. The effect of varying the properties of the fibre, matrix and interphase are examined as well as the role of target geometry and loading rate on the dynamic response of these materials.