Failure prediction of syntactic foam core L-shaped sandwich structures

L-shaped laminates with a syntactic foam core were manufactured to investigate the bending behavior of the sandwich structures including sharp corners. The bending behavior, initial, and progressive failure modes of the sandwich structure were analyzed by four-point bending tests and the finite element method. The cohesive zone model and Hashin’s failure criteria were used for inter-laminar and intra-laminar failure of the laminates, respectively. The concrete damage plasticity model was proposed to model the foam material with considering different material properties in tension and compression. Mode-I and Mode-II fracture toughness of the foam was obtained to characterize the foam/laminate interface. Load-displacement curves predicted under bending simulation were quite well compliant with experimental results. The difference between numerical and experimental failure loads was 10.6 %, 1.2 %, and 1.9 % for the foam with facesheet stacking sequence of [0/90]2s, [0/90]3s, and [0/45/-45/90]2s, respectively. Predicted radial and hoop direction strain fields in the foam section were also compared to the measured one using a digital image correlation technique. Strain fields and failed regions and their mechanisms were captured well using the model. The initial failure mechanism was delamination at the interface between the foam and facesheet followed by foam tensile fracture.