Sandwich panels: local impact strength of FRP-sandwich panels (NT MECH 042)

Abstract

  This method specifies the determination of local impact strength of sandwich panels with fibre-reinforced plastic (FRP) faces. The falling weight method is used to achieve an impact between a pyramid shaped impactor and a square sandwich panel. The impact occurs at right angles to the panel in the middle of the specimen. The falling weight is instrumented in order to measure the force or acceleration during the impact. The measured test data is post-processed in order to determine the absorbed energy due to the indentation. This is achieved by calculating the amount of absorbed energy due to bending and shear of the specimen and subtracting it from the total absorbed energy. The E-moduli of the faces and the shear modulus of the core material must be known in order to perform the post-processing.