Numerical modelling of Nomex honeycomb sandwich cores at meso-scale level

Increasing interest in detailed meso-models of Nomex honeycomb cores has led to numerous different approaches and material parameters for the Nomex cell wall material. The present study benchmarks the available approaches using a virtual testing procedure, where experimental results from tensile, compressive and shear tests on a Nomex honeycomb core are compared to numerical results from equivalent virtual tests using ABAQUS/Explicit. Applying a simple orthotropic elasto-perfectly plastic material model in a single layer leads to a good match between experimental and numerical results. Therefore, this approach is recommended for general application in detailed Nomex honeycomb models.