Analytical and experimental study of FRP honeycomb sandwich panels with sinusoidal core

Fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) composite materials and structures have been increasingly used in highway bridge applications. Recent applications have demonstrated that FRP honeycomb sandwich panels with sinusoidal core can be effectively and economically used for highway bridge deck systems. In this study, analytical and experimental characterizations are presented for a FRP honeycomb panel with sinusoidal core geometry in the plane and extending vertically between face laminates. To verify the accuracy of the a closed-form solution, several honeycomb sandwich beams with sinusoidal core waves either in the longitudinal or transverse directions are tested in bending and torsion. Also, a deck panel is tested under both symmetric and asymmetric patch loading. Finite element models are further developed to simulate the actual sandwich geometry and also to simplify the structure as an equivalent three-layer laminate. The explicit and FE predictions are compared with experimental results. The present analysis and characterization procedures can be used in design applications and optimizations of honeycomb structures.

Name thesis:degree_name

MS

Level thesis:degree_level

Thesis

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Civil and Environmental Engineering

Year dc:date.available

2001

Author dc:creator

• Robinson, Justin Mark

Contributors dc:contributor

• Julio F. Davalos
• Pizhong Qiao

• Civil engineering

Identifier

https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/etd/1164

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:researchrepository.wvu.edu:etd-2167