Determination of impact parameters by optical measurement of the impactor displacement

In dynamic materials research, high precision impact displacement, velocity and force measurements are often required. In lower velocity testing apparatus, impact force histories are most often obtained through strain gage, piezoelectric force transducer or accelerometer signals. Velocity and displacement histories are then obtained by integration. Non-contact measurement systems have a number of advantages over these more common mechanical contact methods, and can generally be used at higher impact speeds. In this paper a relatively simple optical technique is presented for recording the impactor displacement history, from which the impact velocity and force histories can be readily obtained for a (quasi-) rigid impactor. The technique is based on the relative displacement of two moiré line gratings: one grating attached to the impacting body and the other serving as stationary reference grating. The technique has proven to be useful for impact speeds of a few m/s to well over 200 m/s. Results of transverse impact experiments on composite laminates are presented.