To understand the crucial effect of core, the mechanical performances of composite sandwich panel (CSP) with different core configurations are numerically evaluated under the planar compression loading. The failure behavior of metal core and fiber face-sheets are modeled with the ductile damage model and linear damage evolution model respectively. The numerical evaluation model validated with W-shaped core CSP is used to predict the mechanical behaviors and failure mechanisms of CSP with X-, Y- and A-shaped cores. The damage deformation, energy-absorption (EA) and energy absorption efficiency (EAE) are revealed to understand the compression performances, and effects of core thickness are further studied. Results show that the evaluation model is proved to be accurate due to a consistent match between simulated and available experimental results. It is found that compared to traditional W-shaped core, the CSPs with these three cores have higher resistance to deformation and energy absorption properties. Increasing the thickness of each core, the peak load, average load and EAE obviously increase but the stability decreases. The A-shaped core with enough thickness is recommended as the most potential core applied in composite sandwich structures.
Numerical evaluation of friction effects on the energy absorption of square profiles under bending load
