Composite materials, especially carbon fiber, can be very well suited for impact
structures for increasing crash safety. In contrast to metallic impact structures that involve plastic
deformation, the high stiffness of carbon fiber does not allow that material to exceed its elastic
limit as illustrated below in Figure 1-1 and Figure 1-2. This serves to transmit the load from the
point of impact further into the structure [2]. Once the load in the local area of impact has
exceeded the absolute strength of the material, failure is initiated and the composite progressively
tears itself to pieces. The energy of the impact is absorbed via fracture mechanisms since there is
no yielding of the material. The primary energy absorption mechanisms in CFRP’s are cracking
and fracture of fibers, matrix fracture, fiber pull out from the matrix, and delamination of layers
in the structure