Experimental and numerical analysis of behavior of honeycomb sandwiches panels subjected to impact.

Abstract

Due to their high specific strength and stiffness, honeycomb sandwich structures are used in impact-resistance applications. Their structural efficiency depends to a great extent on the lightweight core separating the face sheets and providing overall high stiffness. This study will present the Experimental, numerical and theoretical studies of composite sandwich structures This thesis has investigated composite honeycomb sandwich materials commonly used in marine and aeronautic structures. The critical buckling loads for various core densities and materials of honeycomb composite panels are experimentally, theoretically and numerically investigated in this study. Experimental work has investigated their failure behavior under static and dynamic loading according to the change of sum key parameters. Otherwise, failure mechanisms in the skin and core of these structures have been identified for each loading case. In meantime, we aim to present the analytical and numerical investigation of response of composite honeycomb sandwich materials under different loading (compression, quasi-static indentation and low velocity impact) to understand how geometrical configuration affects failure mechanism of these structures. By varying the geometrical parameters (cell size, indenter and impactor geometry); core material (AHC and NHC) and loading conditions (velocity of solicitation) experimental tests were carried out. All structures tested in this work have an aluminum skin and honeycomb core (AHC and NHC).