Characterisation and Assessment of Load Response, Failure and Fatigue Phenomena in Sandwich Structures Induced by Localised Effects: A Review

• Published in: Strain 2008-02, Vol.44 (1), p.85-101
• Main Authors: Thomsen, O. T., Bozhevolnaya, E., Lyckegaard, A., Mortensen, F.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: core junctions; curve change; local effects; sandwich plates with inserts; sandwich structures; static and fatigue strength
• ISSN: 0039-2103; 1475-1305
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1475-1305.2008.00418.x

:  The objective of the paper is to provide an overview of the mechanical effects, which determine the occurrence and severity of localised bending effects in sandwich structures, and to provide a survey of the available structural sandwich models, with special emphasis on their ability to describe local bending effects. The presentation includes a brief survey of the various structural models, including classical, ‘first‐order shear’, ‘high‐order’ and continuum mechanics‐based models. Moreover, the paper focuses on and addresses the experimental characterisation and assessment of local effects in sandwich structures based on realistic engineering practice, examples including sandwich panels with core materials of different stiffness (core junctions), sandwich plates with inserts and junctions between sandwich panels of different curvature. The issues of general load response (global and local) as well as failure and fatigue of such sandwich structures subjected to out‐of‐plane and in‐plane loads are discussed in some detail, with the inclusion of recent theoretical and experimental results.