Behaviour of sandwich structures

A structural sandwich is a special form of a laminated composite fabricated by attaching two thin but stiff skins to the lightweight but thick core. The desired stiffness and strength characteristics of the sandwich structures can be modified by varying the materials for the skin and the core. This makes the composite sandwich material an ideal replacement for structural elements. However, little is known about the performance of the structural elements made from laminated composite sandwiches even though the structural benefit of this type of constructions have been highlighted in many applications.

This study aims toward developing composite sandwich structures where the strong and stiff composite skins carry some of the shear load that is traditionally carried by the core. This could be attain by the combined use of the composite sandwich in the flatwise and edgewise position. This proposed concept may lead to an improved shear loading capacity which could eventually be reflected on the performance of the sandwich structures. Initially, the effective properties and mechanical response of the composite sandwich in the flatwise and edgewise position will be determined. Particular emphasis is on the contribution of the non-horizontal skins in the shear capacity and failure mechanisms of the sandwich structures. Analytical and experimental investigation on the structural behaviour of composite sandwich beams will then be conducted. An optimized geometry of the composite structures will result to the highest load capacity with appropriate stiffness required. 

Student

Mr Allan Manalo

Supervisors

Assoc Prof Thiru Aravinthan
Assoc Prof Karu Karunasena