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The present paper continues the recent works reported by Liu et al. (2020) where quasi-static indentation experiments and finite element simulations were reported to investigate the plastic behaviour and failure of four stiffened aluminium-alloy plates punched by a rigid hemispherical indenter: one bare plate, one butt-welded plate, two plates with respectively one and two flat-bar stiffeners. Here specimens with the same geometry are investigated using a rigid hemi-cylindrical indenter to examine the effect of the indenter shape on the deformation and collapse modes. The experimental comparison shows the different structural deformation and failure mechanisms of welded aluminium alloy panels. The finite element analysis discusses the importance of the modelling of welded joining details, the boundary conditions and the material degradation at welded heat-affected zones and at the same time illustrates the similarities and differences between impact analyses of aluminium and steel stiffened plates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents experiments and finite-element simulations of welded 5083-H116 aluminium alloy panels, quasi-statically punched at the mid-span by a rigid hemispherical indenter, to examine their plastic deformation and fracture resistance. Four specimens are examined: one bare plate, one butt-welded plate and two stiffened plates. The effect of the welding and the influence of stiffeners on the structural impact response are evaluated. The experimental results are presented in terms of the force–displacement responses and collapse modes, showing agreement with the simulations performed by the LS-DYNA finite-element solver. The finite-element analysis discusses the structural behaviour and rupture of the welded aluminium alloy panels under accidental loads, focusing on the welding details and the material degradation in the heat-affected zone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]