Local shear buckling and bearing strength in web core sandwich panels: Model and experimental validation

A model and experimental validation of shear buckling and local bearing failure of web core sandwich panels are presented. Of particular interest are steel-faced panels with stiffening metal webs and a polymer core. The metal webs provide the required panel stiffness and the foam core serves the dual purposes of preventing local buckling and providing thermal insulation. In applications, such as the building sector, in which thermal performance is crucial, the webs are thin and widely spaced to reduce conduction between the face sheets. The models of shear buckling and bearing failure account for the influence of the core material on web strength and provide closed-form solutions. The models are validated by symmetric four-point bending tests to evaluate shear buckling and asymmetric three-point bending for bearing failure. The shear buckling model predicted buckling strength to within 4% of the test results. The bearing failure model overpredicted the observed strength by 11% on average, similar to test results reported in the literature for the bearing strength of webs with no foam support.

► Model of steel faced sandwich panels with a foam core and stiffening webs.
► Web failure modes are shear buckling and bearing failure (at the end support).
► Web failure models were experimentally validated.
► Polymer foam core contributes >80% of the total shear and buckling strength.