Damage assessment on an asymmetric sandwich composite made of natural materials using strain gauges

Abstract

Sandwich composites have been a growing subject of interest to various industries, thus it has become essential to monitor these structures. There is a need to implement damage identification and characterization strategies. This work aims to study the reliability of the implementation of strain gauge sensors, the mechanical properties of an asymmetric sandwich composite made by a core of cork agglomerate, two fibre-reinforced epoxy skins and a natural stone on top. Initially, destructive bending tests were conducted to establish the maximum load for the specimens. This served as a crucial reference point for subsequently employing strain gauges to investigate the mechanical properties of the composite. Finally, the destructive bending tests were performed using strain gauges in order to assess the performance of strain gauges to detect damage within the composite. The study provides comprehensive insights into various mechanical properties, including bending strength, tensile, compressive, and flexural moduli, as well as the determination of the neutral line location within the material. Notably, the results from the destructive bending tests employing strain gauges demonstrated their effectiveness in detecting catastrophic events within the composite. This research contributes to the advancement of reliable structural integrity monitoring and characterization techniques for sandwich composites.