Measurement and analysis of the structural performance of cellular metal sandwich construction

The bending performance of sandwich construction with thin cellular metal c ores has been measured and simulated. A mechanism map has been generated to characterize the predominant failure phenomena based upon collapse load cr iteria for face yielding, core shear and indentation. A previously develope d constitutive law for the core material has been incorporated into numeric al simulations. Comparisons have been made with the measured response. Init ial discrepancies attributed to a core thinness effect were rectified by in putting core shear properties measured on materials having the same thickne ss. Analytical estimates for the stiffness,, yield load and limit load are compared with the numerical simulations and experimental results. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.