Mechanical behavior of aluminum honeycomb sandwich structures under extreme low temperature conditions

Abstract

The current study is an effort to characterize the mechanical response of panels that are used as structural elements at low temperature applications. For the above reason, plaques of aluminum honeycomb sandwich were exposed for a certain period of time at different low temperature profiles ranging from 23°C to -70°C so that possible variation of their mechanical properties due to temperature exposure to be justified. Four different temperatures namely 23°C, 0°C, -40°C and -70°C were applied to these plaques prior mechanical testing that was performed at different loading modes. Specimens were obtained from these plaques in order to study the effect of low temperature on mechanical behavior and damage response of the specific sandwich structures. Extensive mechanical testing was carried out by means of tensile, compression and bending loading and the respective mechanical properties occurring from these tests were determined. From the results occurring from experimental data obtained from mechanical testing it is evident that there is a moderate decrease of ultimate strength and yield strength of the material as service temperature decreases in tensile, edgewise and flatwise compression as well as in three point bending loading modes. Moreover a drop in temperature results in a decrease in strain at rupture at tensile and compression loading.