Experimental testing and full and homogenized numerical models of the low velocity and dynamic deformation of the trapezoidal aluminium corrugated core sandwich

Abstract

The simulations of the low velocity and dynamic deformation of a multi-layer 1050-H14 Al trapezoidal zig-zag corrugated core sandwich were investigated using the homogenized models (solid models) of a single core layer (without face sheets). In the first part of the study, the LS-DYNA MAT-26 material model parameters of a single core layer were developed through experimental and numerical compression tests on the single core layer. In the second part, the fidelities of the developed numerical models were checked by the split-Hopkinson pressure bar direct impact, low velocity compression and indentation and projectile impact tests. The results indicated that the element size had a significant effect on the initial peak and post-peak stresses of the homogenized models of the direct impact testing of the single-layer corrugated sandwich. This was attributed to the lack of the inertial effects in the homogenized models, which resulted in reduced initial peak stresses as compared with the full model and experiment. However, the homogenized models based on the experimental stress–strain curve of the single core layer predicted the low velocity compression and indentation and projectile impact tests of the multi-layer corrugated sandwich with an acceptable accuracy and reduced the computational time of the models significantly.