Structural response to transverse impact loading. Some orders of magnitude

Structural response to transverse impact loading is generally regulated by many parameters, such as the geometrical and mechanical properties of structural elements and the amount of kinetic energy transferred to them. In this paper some simple models of a cantilever beam subjected to impact loading are analysed in order to characterise the influence of such parameters and to provide some orders of magnitude. Firstly, by carrying out the analysis within an elastic field, a simple two-degree of freedom model is used for the prediction of the structural response while retaining the global motion of the structure and the local deformation in the contact region. Intermediate cases between the two limiting ones generally accepted are also provided. Moreover, a rigid-plastic model accounting for shear deformations is herein studied in order to evaluate the transient and stationary phases of motion and to identify the critical values of the parameters characterising different failure modes of the structure. Solutions provided by other authors are discussed in terms of energy dissipation.