FE Analysis of Composite Sandwich Panels with Different Shape Stiffeners Subjected to Extreme Wind Pressure

Abstract

AbstractHurricanes or tornadoes have always been natural wind hazards in most southern states in the USA. The above-ground shelter is one kind of popular emergency shelter for low-rise housing residents. But the authors found that upgrading construction materials are necessary for the industry. Composite sandwich panels are widely known for their lightweight and high performance, and the concept is to separate the relatively stiff, strong, and thin panels by a lightweight and thick flexible core. And stiffeners are usually used combined with composite panels. In this paper, the authors use the FE analysis method to compare several shapes of stiffened composite panels. Adding stiffeners to the panel complicates the analysis of the entire system; the shapes of the stiffeners are WT shape stiffeners, I-shape stiffened, and rectangular shape. The software package of Ansys 19.0 is used to analyze different composite panels subjected to normal extreme storm pressure. By comparing the deformation and equivalent stress results of different models, it can be concluded that choosing a better stiffener model significantly improves the entire model’s bending and buckling capabilities. Furthermore, the best shape stiffener will be chosen for future study for designing a new storm shelter.KeywordsStiffened panelsComposite panelsFE analysisFRPWind loads