Experimental and numerical investigation of the behavior of multi-layer windshield consisting of glass and polycarbonate against bird strike

Bird strike is one of the major threats in the aerospace industry as it can result in serious structural damages and fatal incidents. The current study addressed the bird strike to the airplane windshield both experimentally and numerically. The windshield was considered to comprise glass and polycarbonate (PC) layers as well as TPU interlayer. The bird mass and speed upon collision to the windshield were considered 80–180 m/s and 1.8 kg, respectively. The experimental findings and numerical simulation results showed a proper agreement. The results also revealed the higher strength of the windshield with polycarbonate layer compare to the one with glass main layer. Bird strike with W-1 at the velocity of 160 m/s showed no fracture while the windshield with pure glass main layer broke upon bird strike at velocities below 120 m/s. The influence of various layouts was also assessed. Finally, it can be concluded that the incorporation of polycarbonate enhanced the strength of the windshield.