Experimental behavior of plaster/cork functionally graded core sandwich panels with polymer skins

Abstract

This study investigates the experimental manufacturing, mechanical, physical and thermal characterization of plaster/cork functionally graded core sandwich structures with identical polymer skins bonded with an epoxy resin. Five sets of specimens according to the core materials degradation were prepared for the characterization tests. Indeed, the newly proposed core design consists to combine two compatible building materials namely: a plaster matrix in the tensile zone, following a functional degradation until reaching a cork phase on the core compressive one. Then, three series of sandwich panels were casted and tested under perpendicular compression, buckling and 03-point bending. Load versus displacement curves, failure modes, thermal conductivity and porosity measurements of all tested specimens were provided and discussed to highlight the functionally graded core configuration compared to conventional one. All the obtained results were promising compared to literature ones. In this respect, the emphasized results confirm the effectiveness of the innovative graded core panels, in terms of bearing strength, ductility and thermal insulation.