Multi layered composite materials, such as laminated fibre reinforced materials and hybrid metal-polymer composites materials are of increasing interest in all fields of mechanical engineering. The high energy absorption capacity with respect to density qualifies this class of materials especially for high performance lightweight applications which are subjected to crash and impact loading scenarios. However, in contrast to the mostly focussed advantageous in-plane material behaviour, properties in laminate thickness direction exhibit significantly lower material characteristic values. In this respect, the dominant failure mode is separation of initially bonded single plies, referred to as delamination failure. Especially under high rate loading conditions, this failure mode dominates the resulting material and structural deformation characteristics. Based on a scale spanning phenomenological understanding of the delamination processes, the interfaces can be tailored to achieve an advantageous structural behaviour, e.g. for crash absorber components. In the present study, the delamination behaviour of hybrid as well as fibre reinforced polymer composites will be evaluated experimentally on coupon and structural level. High-fidelity Finite Element modelling is used to assess the structural energy dissipation mechanisms in a predictive manner. Based on this, an interface modification approach is presented to achieve raised structural energy dissipation.