Towards an Understanding of the Effect of Adding a Foam Core on the Blast Performance of Glass Fibre Reinforced Epoxy Laminate Panels
This paper presents insights into the blast response of sandwich panels with lightweight foam cores and asymmetric (different thicknesses) glass fibre epoxy face sheets. Viscously damped elastic vibrations were observed in the laminates (no core), while the transient response of the sandwich panels...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2021-11-01
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| Series: | Materials |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/14/23/7118 |
| _version_ | 1797507558434406400 |
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| author | Sherlyn Gabriel Christopher J. von Klemperer Steeve Chung Kim Yuen Genevieve S. Langdon |
| author_facet | Sherlyn Gabriel Christopher J. von Klemperer Steeve Chung Kim Yuen Genevieve S. Langdon |
| author_sort | Sherlyn Gabriel |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This paper presents insights into the blast response of sandwich panels with lightweight foam cores and asymmetric (different thicknesses) glass fibre epoxy face sheets. Viscously damped elastic vibrations were observed in the laminates (no core), while the transient response of the sandwich panels was more complex, especially after the peak displacement was observed. The post-peak residual oscillations in the sandwich panels were larger and did not decay as significantly with time when compared to the equivalent mass laminate panel test. Delamination was the predominant mode of failure on the thinner facesheet side of the sandwich panel, whereas cracking and matrix failure were more prominent on the thicker side (which was exposed to the blast). The type of constituent materials used and testing conditions, including the clamping method, influenced the resulting failure modes observed. A probable sequence of damage in the sandwich panels was proposed, based on the transient displacement measurements, a post-test failure analysis, and consideration of the stress wave propagation through the multilayered, multimaterial structure. This work demonstrates the need for detailed understanding of the transient behaviour of multilayered structures with significant elastic energy capacity and a wide range of possible damage mechanisms. The work should prove valuable to structural engineers and designers considering the deployment of foam-core sandwich panels or fibre reinforced polymer laminates in applications when air-blast loading may pose a credible threat. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T04:50:08Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-35ea9fb5cea6481aa3aa7ddd5e87582a |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1996-1944 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T04:50:08Z |
| publishDate | 2021-11-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Materials |
| spelling | doaj.art-35ea9fb5cea6481aa3aa7ddd5e87582a2023-11-23T02:38:30ZengMDPI AGMaterials1996-19442021-11-011423711810.3390/ma14237118Towards an Understanding of the Effect of Adding a Foam Core on the Blast Performance of Glass Fibre Reinforced Epoxy Laminate PanelsSherlyn Gabriel0Christopher J. von Klemperer1Steeve Chung Kim Yuen2Genevieve S. Langdon3Blast Impact and Survivability Research Unit (BISRU), Department of Mechanical Engineering, Univer-sity of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7701, South AfricaDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7700, South AfricaBlast Impact and Survivability Research Unit (BISRU), Department of Mechanical Engineering, Univer-sity of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7701, South AfricaDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, University of Cape Town, Rondebosch 7700, South AfricaThis paper presents insights into the blast response of sandwich panels with lightweight foam cores and asymmetric (different thicknesses) glass fibre epoxy face sheets. Viscously damped elastic vibrations were observed in the laminates (no core), while the transient response of the sandwich panels was more complex, especially after the peak displacement was observed. The post-peak residual oscillations in the sandwich panels were larger and did not decay as significantly with time when compared to the equivalent mass laminate panel test. Delamination was the predominant mode of failure on the thinner facesheet side of the sandwich panel, whereas cracking and matrix failure were more prominent on the thicker side (which was exposed to the blast). The type of constituent materials used and testing conditions, including the clamping method, influenced the resulting failure modes observed. A probable sequence of damage in the sandwich panels was proposed, based on the transient displacement measurements, a post-test failure analysis, and consideration of the stress wave propagation through the multilayered, multimaterial structure. This work demonstrates the need for detailed understanding of the transient behaviour of multilayered structures with significant elastic energy capacity and a wide range of possible damage mechanisms. The work should prove valuable to structural engineers and designers considering the deployment of foam-core sandwich panels or fibre reinforced polymer laminates in applications when air-blast loading may pose a credible threat.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/14/23/7118foam core sandwich panelsfibre reinforced polymersblast loadingfailuretransient response |
| spellingShingle | Sherlyn Gabriel Christopher J. von Klemperer Steeve Chung Kim Yuen Genevieve S. Langdon Towards an Understanding of the Effect of Adding a Foam Core on the Blast Performance of Glass Fibre Reinforced Epoxy Laminate Panels Materials foam core sandwich panels fibre reinforced polymers blast loading failure transient response |
| title | Towards an Understanding of the Effect of Adding a Foam Core on the Blast Performance of Glass Fibre Reinforced Epoxy Laminate Panels |
| title_full | Towards an Understanding of the Effect of Adding a Foam Core on the Blast Performance of Glass Fibre Reinforced Epoxy Laminate Panels |
| title_fullStr | Towards an Understanding of the Effect of Adding a Foam Core on the Blast Performance of Glass Fibre Reinforced Epoxy Laminate Panels |
| title_full_unstemmed | Towards an Understanding of the Effect of Adding a Foam Core on the Blast Performance of Glass Fibre Reinforced Epoxy Laminate Panels |
| title_short | Towards an Understanding of the Effect of Adding a Foam Core on the Blast Performance of Glass Fibre Reinforced Epoxy Laminate Panels |
| title_sort | towards an understanding of the effect of adding a foam core on the blast performance of glass fibre reinforced epoxy laminate panels |
| topic | foam core sandwich panels fibre reinforced polymers blast loading failure transient response |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/14/23/7118 |
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