Experimental characterization of sandwich panels

In many applications, such as aeronautics, railways and construction, the relationship between mechanical flexural rigidity and mass is crucial. When it comes to flat components, the sandwich structure is a highly appropriate solution. This structure combines two different materials:

• a core material, which is lightweight and has low mechanical properties;

• two skins, also known as facings or soles, requiring good mechanical properties to contribute to bending inertia.

Inserting the lightweight core material between the two facings increases thickness while limiting weight gain. In addition, positioning the highly rigid facings as far away from the mid-plane as possible maximizes the moment of inertia and thus bending rigidity. In some cases, functional properties are also required, such as energy absorption in the event of impact. In such cases, the choice of core material can meet these multifunctional requirements, notably through the use of architectural materials (e.g. foams, meshes, embossed sheets). These structural and functional specifications must be taken into account in an integrated approach to the choice of constituent materials and geometric parameters.

This article details a number of mechanical properties that characterize this type of panel, as well as the experimental methods used to identify them.