The Flexural Fatigue Behavior of Honeycomb Sandwich Composites Following Low-Velocity Impacts

Abstract

This study experimentally investigated the flexural fatigue behaviors of honeycomb sandwich composites subjected to low velocity impact damage by considering the type and thickness of the face sheet material, the cell size and the core height parameters. First, the static strength of undamaged specimens was determined by three-point bending loads, and calculating their fatigue lives; secondly, the fatigue lives of the specimens damaged by low velocity impact tests were then determined. Increasing the face sheet thickness and core height increased the flexural strength, while increasing the cell size decreased the flexural strength. Low velocity impact damage decreased the flexural strength and fatigue lives but increased the damping ratio for all specimens.