Low-velocity impact response of sandwich composites with different foam core configurations

Abstract

In this study, the low-velocity impact response of sandwich composites consisting of different foam core configurations is investigated experimentally. Polyvinyl chloride foam core and glass fibers were used as core material and face sheets, respectively. A number of tests under various impact energy levels for three different sandwich composite configurations were conducted with Ceast 9350 Fractovis Plus impact testing machine in order to improve the energy absorption capacity of sandwich composites panels. Absorbed energies, maximum loads and the maximum deflection of sandwich panels were obtained for each impact energy level. As the impact energy was increased, fiber fractures at face sheets, delaminations between glass-epoxy layers, core fractures, and indentations failures were observed by visual inspection. According to the obtained results, the sandwich composite with proposed new foam core design with two internal face sheets exhibits high energy absorption capacity compared to sandwich panels formed by sandwiching a polyvinyl chloride foam core between glass fabric face sheets. Maximum contact force values decrease by increase of number of core material.

Experimental and numerical study of the response to various impact energy levels for composite sandwich plates with different face thicknesses

“…As a direct consequence, the active modes and relevant impact energy levels need to be re-established for a particular sandwich configuration. A number of studies have been performed in order to study the low-velocity impact response and the underlying damage mechanisms of composite sandwich structures [2,7,9,[13][14][15][16][17].…”

Stochastic impact responses analysis of functionally graded plates

“…As a result of which foam cores are used in sandwich plates where energy absorbing criterion is of prime interest, because of their superior energy absorption capability [25]. To increase the energy absorption capability, in addition to top and bottom face sheet, one additional face sheet is also found to be used in between core [26]. Ruiz et al [27] used both corrugated as well as honeycomb cores to study the impact response of sandwich panels of Ti-alloy.…”

Residual bending behaviour of sandwich composites after impact

“…The study presented in Yang et al [9] investigated the effects of LVI energy and temperature on the damage mechanics of sandwich composite panels with carbon fiber/epoxy woven face sheets and PVC foam cores. The LVI of various sandwich composites was studied further in Wang et al [10], Al-Shamary et al [11], Nemes and Simmonds [12], Hazizan and Cantwell [13], Bhuiyan et al [14], Dogan and Arikan [15], Wadley et al [16], Mei et al [17][18][19].…”