Optimisation of sandwich panels with functionally graded core and faces

• Published in: Composites science and technology Vol. 69; no. 5; pp. 575 - 585
• Main Authors: Icardi, U., Ferrero, L.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.04.2009; Elsevier
• Subjects: A. Layered structures; A. Sandwich; C. Computational mechanics; C. Functionally graded materials; C. Stress relaxation; Exact sciences and technology; Fundamental areas of phenomenology (including applications); Physics; Solid mechanics; Static elasticity (thermoelasticity...); Structural and continuum mechanics; C. Functionally graded materials; A. Sandwich; C. Stress relaxation; C. Computational mechanics; A. Layered structures; Euler Lagrange equation; Mechanical model; Sandwich structure; Theoretical study; Mechanical properties; Modeling; Optimization; Bending strength; Stress distribution; Functionnally graded material; Sandwich board
• ISSN: 0266-3538; 1879-1050
• DOI: 10.1016/j.compscitech.2008.11.036

The distributions of properties across the thickness (core) and in the plane (face sheets) that minimise the interlaminar stresses at the interface with the core are determined solving the Euler–Lagrange equations of an optimisation problem in which the membrane and transverse shear energy contributions are made stationary. The bending stiffness is maximised, while the energy due to interlaminar stresses is minimised. As structural model, a refined zig-zag model with a high-order variation of displacements is employed. Simplified, sub-optimal distributions obtainable with current manufacturing processes appear effective for reducing the critical interfacial stress concentration, as shown by the numerical applications.