Load-Carrying Characteristics of Foam Core and Joint Geometry in Sandwich Structures

Author(s):  
Jonas W. Ringsberg

Abstract Composite sandwich ships have laminated joints that contribute to a significant part of the ship’s weight. Their construction requires an extensive number of man-hours. There is great potential for weight and production-time-reduction through alternative joint designs. According to class rules, one is not allowed to benefit from the load-carrying capability of the core, i.e. the strength characteristics of the core shall be disregarded and geometry at the joint location is disregarded as well. The objective of the current investigation was to investigate the possibility of constructing a joint where the load-carrying capability of the foam core is accounted for, leading to a reduction in weight and production time. One specific joint in a 23 m composite sandwich catamaran was selected for study — a side wall-wet deck T-joint. This joint is considered to be crucial for the structural integrity of the current vessel. A global finite element (FE) model of the catamaran was designed and analysed in ANSYS. The loads and boundary conditions were applied to the global model according to DNV GL’s HSLC rules. Two local FE models of the joints (2D and 3D) were utilized for a parametric analysis with respect to structure response (stress concentrations and compliance with failure and fracture criteria). Finally, the results and conclusions from the study show the possibilities and advantages of incorporating the foam core material as a load-carrying member in joint design without compromising safety.

2017 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 604-638
Author(s):  
AR Nazari ◽  
MZ Kabir ◽  
H Hosseini Toudeshky

In this paper an elastomeric foam is applied as core for the composite sandwich beams and load carrying capacity, load–deflection response, and progressive failure are examined through experimental and finite element studies. The objective of this study is to assess the efficiency of elastomeric foam-cored sandwich (EFCS) beams relative to crushable foam-cored sandwich (CFCS) beams. The experimental program consists of two phases. In the first phase, some characterization tests are conducted on the constituent materials of the sandwich beams such as tension, compression, and shear tests on the foam and bending test on the composite beams utilized as skins. Then in the second phase, the performance of the sandwich beams is examined under bending conditions. The load carrying behavior of the sandwich beams is considered dependent on two main features of the constituent materials: (1) the hyperelastic behavior of the foam core and (2) the progressive damage of the composite skins. These characteristics are simulated by the finite element models. Due to elastomeric rather than crushable deformation of the applied foam as the core, the conventional damage modes of the CFCS beams associated to the brittleness of the core material are omitted through load carrying capacity of the EFCS beams. So in the recent sandwich beams by omission of the core failure modes and utilization of compressive residual strength of the top composite skin, considerable energy is absorbed prior to failure of the bottom composite skin. By simulation of the test specimens using FE models, the response of the foam applied as core for the sandwich beams through progressive failure of the beams is investigated. The results show that the elastomeric foam core can provide superior features for the sandwich components especially for the cases in which high energy absorption capacity is required.


2017 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 865-894 ◽  
Author(s):  
AR Nazari ◽  
H Hosseini-Toudeshky ◽  
MZ Kabir

In this paper, the load-carrying capacity and failure mechanisms of sandwich beams and panels with elastomeric foam core and composite laminate face sheets are investigated. For this purpose, the flexural behavior of laminated composite beams and panels (applied as face sheets) is firstly investigated under three-point bending and central concentrated loads, respectively. Then, the same examination is conducted for the sandwich beams and panels, in which the proposed elastomeric foam is utilized as the core material. It is shown that the failure mechanisms which are associated to the core in the sandwich structures with crushable foams are not considered in the examined sandwich structures. The collapse of the sandwich specimens, examined here, is observed due to the failure of the skins in some steps. By multi-step collapse of these specimens via separately failure of the top and bottom skins, a considerable amount of energy is absorbed between these steps. Due to non-brittle behavior of the core material under loading, a large compression resistance is observed after failure of the top skin which led to the recovery of the load-carrying capacity in the sandwich beams. A similar behavior for the sandwich panels led to the increase of the ultimate strength after appearance of the failure lines on the top skin. The general outcomes of this investigation promise a good influence for the application of elastomeric foam as core material for sandwich structures.


Materials ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 12
Author(s):  
Łukasz Święch ◽  
Radosław Kołodziejczyk ◽  
Natalia Stącel

The work concerns the experimental analysis of the process of destruction of sandwich structures as a result of circumferential shearing. The aim of the research was to determine the differences that occur in the destruction mechanism of such structures depending on the thickness and material of the core used. Specimens with a Rohacell foam core and a honeycomb core were made for the purposes of the research. The specimen destruction process was carried out in a static loading test with the use of a system introducing circumferential shear stress. The analysis of the tests results was made based on the load-displacement curves, the maximum load, and the energy absorbed by individual specimens. The tests indicated significant differences in the destruction mechanism of specimens with varied core material. The specimen with the honeycomb core was characterized by greater stiffness, which caused the damage to occur locally in the area subjected to the pressure of the punch. In specimens with the foam core, due to the lower stiffness of that core, the skins of the structure were bent, which additionally transfers compressive and tensile loads. This led to a higher maximum force that the specimens obtained at the time of destruction and greater energy absorption.


2012 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Sinarep ◽  
Agus Dwi Catur

Sandwich composite structure consisting of a core is flanked by two skin.  Therefore, the density of the composite sandwich are influenced by core composites material, the more light core the more lightweight composite produced. So also with the composite compressive strength is also very dependent on the core material. In this paper discussed the influence of core thickness on density and compressive strength of composite sandwich. Sisal fiber or  banana tree fibers that have been woven embedded in polyester composites to strengthen the skin. Composite core (Styrofoam) inserted between the two types of laminated composites to reduce weight and increase rigidity. The variation of the thickness of the core is applied in the manufacture of composites. Made of composite density was measured for specific gravity compared to wood or wood products on the market. Compressive strength of composite was characterized to determine the effect of core thickness on the compressive strength of composites.Research results show that the density of composite decreases with increasing thickness of  styrofoam core. Sandwich composite density is much smaller than the specific gravity of wood or wood products on the market.


2008 ◽  
Vol 13-14 ◽  
pp. 91-98 ◽  
Author(s):  
E.E. Gdoutos ◽  
I.M. Daniel

The nonlinear load-displacement and normal stress distribution in composite sandwich beams made of unidirectional carbon/epoxy facings and PVC foam cores under bending was studied. The carbon/epoxy after an initial linear response exhibits a stiffening nonlinearity in tension and a softening nonlinearity in compression with the longitudinal strength in tension higher than that in compression. The foam core also presents a nonlinear stress-strain response. It was obtained that the load-displacement behaviour of the beam, after an initial linear part, is not linear. This behavior was modeled by an incremental strength of materials nonlinear analysis. The theoretical predictions were in good agreement with the experimental results. Furthermore, it was obtained that the neutral axis of sandwich beams under bending does not pass through the centroid of the cross section, but is displaced toward the tensile side of the beam. Experimental results by moiré measurements of the in-plane horizontal displacements of the core material corroborated the analytical predictions. These findings imply higher compressive and smaller tensile stresses in the core, than those predicted for facings with identical stress-strain behaviour in tension and compression, and should be taking into consideration in the failure analysis of sandwich beams.


2013 ◽  
Vol 376 ◽  
pp. 103-107
Author(s):  
A. Mostafa ◽  
K. Shankar

The present study deals with the shear behavior of the composite sandwich panels comprised of Polyvinylchloride (PVC) and Polyurethane (PU) foam core sandwiched between Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) skins using epoxy resin. Experiments have been carried out to characterize the mechanical response of the constituent materials under tension, compression and shear loading. In-plane shear tests for the sandwich panel reveal that the main failure mode is the delamination between the skin and the core rather than shearing the core itself since the skin-core interaction is the weakest link in such structure. The Finite Element Analysis (FEA) of the sandwich structure, based on the non-linear behavior of the foam core and skin-core cohesive interaction, shows that shear response and failure mode can be predicted with high accuracy.


2013 ◽  
Vol 376 ◽  
pp. 69-73
Author(s):  
A. Mostafa ◽  
K. Shankar

The present study deals with the shear behavior of the composite sandwich panels comprised of Polyvinylchloride (PVC) and Polyurethane (PU) foam core sandwiched between Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) skins using epoxy resin. Experiments have been carried out to characterize the mechanical response of the constituent materials under tension, compression and shear loading. In-plane shear tests for the sandwich panel reveal that the main failure mode is the delamination between the skin and the core rather than shearing the core itself since the skin-core interaction is the weakest link in such structure. The Finite Element Analysis (FEA) of the sandwich structure, based on the non-linear behavior of the foam core and skin-core cohesive interaction, shows that shear response and failure mode can be predicted with high accuracy.


Author(s):  
Guoqiang Li ◽  
Gefu Ji ◽  
Su-Seng Pang

Sandwich construction has been extensively used in various fields. However, sandwich panels have not been fully exploited in critical structural applications due to damage tolerance and safety concern. A major problem of sandwich panels is the debonding at or near the core/face sheet interface, especially under impact loading, which can lead to a sudden loss of structural integrity and cause catastrophic consequences. In order to improve the debonding resistance and energy absorption of sandwich panel under impact loadings, a new foam core is proposed which is a hybrid core consisting of grid stiffened hollow metallic millitubes reinforced polymer matrix. The objective of this study was to characterize its dynamic performances. The core consisted of polymer resin reinforced by grid stiffened continuous metallic millitubes. Low velocity impact test demonstrated that new core panel may be considered a promising option for critical structural applications featured by debonding and multiple impact tolerance.


Author(s):  
Shah Alam ◽  
Guoqiang Li

Abstract This study presents the testing and numerical modeling results of composite sandwich beams. The sandwich beams are constructed from balsa wood in the core and high strength steel wire and E-glass fiber reinforced polymer composite in the facings. The testing of these beams is performed using a monotonic static four-point loading to failure in accordance with ASTM C393-00. Local strain distribution in the mid-span of the beams is obtained using strain gauges. Mid-span deflections of the beams are real-time measured using linear variable displacement transducer (LVDT). From the experimental results, flexural properties of the beams are calculated, including bending stiffness, bending strength, core shear strength, and facing modulus, core modulus, etc. The experimental results have shown that the beams have all failed in the compression zone by local buckling of the top face and shear of the core. The bottom skin does not exhibit any type of premature failure or distress. No bond failure of the composite in the tension zone is observed in any of the tested beams. Finite element modeling of the beam has been conducted using ANSYS. The mechanical properties of the skin and core material used in finite element modeling have been determined by testing of coupons. The predicted results are compared to experimental results, with a reasonable agreement.


Author(s):  
Seyed Ali Ahmadi ◽  
Mohammad Hadi Pashaei ◽  
Ramazan-Ali Jafari-Talookolaei

The current study aims to investigate the facesheet dynamic pulse buckling of simply supported, cylindrical composite sandwich panels using the Budiansky–Roth buckling criterion. The foam core has been modeled with isotropic elastic-perfectly plastic properties and various failure modes of the sandwich panel like facesheet fracture, foam shear fracture, and foam yield are investigated. The extended high-order sandwich panel core theory was used to model the compressibility of the core. To study the mechanical properties of the viscoelastic foam core, the Kelvin–Voigt linear viscoelastic model was applied. The transient responses and stress components obtained from the present method are compared with finite element solutions using commercial software ANSYS and those reported in the literature. Accordingly, reasonable agreement is observed. It was shown that the pulse local buckling strength of the panel increases with a decrease in the panel radius or an increase in the thickness of the panel, and facesheet fracture is considered more a likely failure mode of these sandwich panels.


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