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Real-Time Experimental Investigation on Dynamic Failure of Sandwich Structures and Layered Materials

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Book cover Major Accomplishments in Composite Materials and Sandwich Structures

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Abstract

We present a systematic experimental investigation of the generation and subsequent evolution of dynamic failure modes in sandwich structures and layered materials subjected to out-of-plane low-speed impact. Model sandwich specimens involving a compliant polymer core sandwiched between two metal layers and other model layered materials were designed to simulate failure evolution mechanisms in real sandwich structures and layered materials. High-speed photography and dynamic photoelasticity were utilized to study the nature and sequence of such failure modes. In all cases, inter-layer (interfacial) cracks appeared first. These cracks were shear-dominated and were often intersonic even under moderate impact speeds. The transition from inter-layer crack growth to intra-layer crack formation was also observed. The shear inter-layer cracks kinked into the core layer, propagated as opening-dominated intra-layer cracks and eventually branched as they attained high enough growth speeds causing brittle core fragmentation. In-depth failure mechanics experiments on the dynamic crack branching, crack kinking and penetration at a weak interface, interfacial debonding ahead of a main incident crack were also conducted to understand the physical insight of the dynamic failure modes and their transition observed from sandwich structures and layered materials.

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Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge the support of the Office of Naval Research through a MURI grant to Caltech (N00014–06–1–0730), a research grant to Vanderbilt (N00014–08–1–0137), Dr. Y.D.S Rajapakse, Program Manager of both projects.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN, 37235, USA

    L. Roy Xu

  2. Graduate Aeronautical Laboratories, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA, 91125, USA

    Ares J. Rosakis

Authors
  1. L. Roy Xu
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  2. Ares J. Rosakis
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to L. Roy Xu .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. Civil &Environmental Engineering, Northwestern University, 2137 Tech Drive, Catalysis Bldg., Evanston, IL, 60208, USA

    I. M. Daniel

  2. Dept. of Civil Engineering Lab. for Applied Mechanics, Democritus University of Thrace, Xanthi, 67100, Greece

    E. E. Gdoutos

  3. Office of Naval Research, Solid Mechanics Program, Arlington, VA, 22203-1995, USA

    Y. D. S. Rajapakse

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© 2009 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.

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Xu, L.R., Rosakis, A.J. (2009). Real-Time Experimental Investigation on Dynamic Failure of Sandwich Structures and Layered Materials. In: Daniel, I.M., Gdoutos, E.E., Rajapakse, Y.D.S. (eds) Major Accomplishments in Composite Materials and Sandwich Structures. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-90-481-3141-9_22

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