Physics and mechanical tests were carried out on innovative sandwiches proposed for civil applications, at the aim to
know their performances. The core was obtained by embedding short mineral fibre, in different percentages, in
polyurethane matrix. The results of the experimental tests were compared to what obtained on sandwiches made
without any reinforcement in the polyurethane core: better behaviours were found in terms of compression strength
and elastic modulus, compression energy absorption capability, impact force and energy. Good results were observed
in thermal conductivity too.
A very large experimental campaign was carried out at the aim to characterize the innovative sandwiches under shear
load too. It was not simple to obtain the pure shear strength since the very frequent local compression failures due to
the not uniform load distribution under bending tests. So, more than one kind of skin, wood, aluminium and
polymeric one, was tested: a glass fibre laminate, 1,5 mm in thickness, was revealed the most appropriate one giving
the possibility to have the right load distribution to observe the classical shear failure. Better behaviour was noted
also in this field even if it resulted very dependent on the reinforcement percentages
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.