Open Access

ARTICLE

Modeling of Structural Sandwich Plates with `Through-the-Thickness' Inserts: Five-Layer Theory

Song-Jeng Huang^1,2, Lin-Wei Chiu²

1 Corresponding author. Tel: +886-5-2720411 ext: 33307, Fax: +886-5-2720589, E-mail:ime_hsj@ccu.edu.tw
2 Department of Mechanical Engineering, National Chung Cheng University, 168, University Rd., Ming-Hsiung, Chia-Yi, 621, Taiwan, ROC.

Computer Modeling in Engineering & Sciences 2008, 34(1), 1-32. https://doi.org/10.3970/cmes.2008.034.001

Abstract

The composite sandwich plate is one of the most common composite structures. Local stress concentrations can be caused by localized bending effects where a load is introduced. Although a sandwich structure with an insert is one of the classical load bearing structures, little work has been conducted on the adhesive layers or inserts. This study involves a linear elasticity analysis of five-layer sandwich plates with ``through-the-thickness'' inserts, using sandwich plate theory to analyze deformation behavior. Governing equations are formulated as partial differential equations, which are solved numerically using the multi-segment integration method. Sandwich plates with ``through-the-thickness'' inserts subjected to axisymmetric external loading are considered as examples. Stress concentrations closest to the intersection between the potting material, core and adhesive layer are likely to fail, as observed. A comparison with degraded three-layer theory and Thomsen's theory [Thomsen and Rits (1998)] confirmed the accuracy of the proposed five-layer theory. The finite element method results in this study were obtained using the ABAQUS software and compared with analytical results. The validity of the analytical solution (five-layer theory) was also demonstrated.

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Keywords

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