Local and global response of sandwich beams made of GFRP facings and PET foam core in three point bending test

Abstract

In the paper behaviour of laminated sandwich beams (FRP face sheet – PET foam core – FRP face sheet) subjected to three point bending is studied. The paper aim is to find practical descriptions enabling effective and accurate estimation of the elastic response, damage and failure of the beams, basing on experiments and static calculations. Therefore a number of tests are described, that were done on laminated coupons and foam specimens in order to choose appropriate material models and find their constants. Experimental results of three-point bending tests of sandwich beams with three types of PET cores are analysed to evaluate the chosen material laws. The beam responses are predicted in numerical static simulations. The equations of problem are solved by means of finite element method (FEM). In the end the experimental and FEM results are compared. They are similar in terms of both their quantity and quality.