Failure mechanisms of sandwich composites with orthotropic integrated woven corrugated cores: Experiments

To enhance the skin–core debonding resistance of sandwich composites, a new integrated woven corrugated sandwich composite (IWCSC) was designed and fabricated. Quasi-static compression, shearing and three-point bending tests were carried out to reveal the mechanical property and the failure mechanism of the IWCSC. In compression, gradual core crushing and contacting with the skin induced ductile load–displacement curves featured by a long deformation plateau. The anisotropic core structure leads to orthotropic anti-shearing resistances in the warp and weft directions. The difference is even at the level of a magnitude. IWCSC is an anisotropic bending dominated light weight material. Anisotropy of the core structure leads to different failure mechanisms of IWCSC panels in bending. Bended in the warp direction failure mode of the beam is core shearing while in the weft direction is indentation. High skin–core debonding resistance has been testified by the experiments. Behaviors of IWCSC panels were predicted and the predictions are close to the tested data.

► A new integrated woven corrugated sandwich composite was designed and fabricated.
► Failure styles of the structure in compression, shearing and bending were revealed by experiments.
► High skin–core debonding resistance was testified by the experiments.
► Behaviors of IWCSC panels were reasonably predicted.