Static and dynamic study of fiber-reinforced hemispherical stacked sandwich structure

Abstract

Sandwich structures have garnered considerable attention due to their ability to meet the requirements of the aerospace and defense industry for impact resistance and lightweight performance. Unlike the plate or block construction investigated in previous studies, this present study proposes a new type of configuration known as the fiber-reinforced hemispherical stacked sandwich (FRHSS) structure. The fabrication of this FRHSS is achieved through the utilization of the Vacuum Assisted Resin Transfer Molding (VARTM) process and its response under quasi-static compression load is analyzed through both simulation and experiment. It is found that the internal configuration design effectively determines the direction of contraction in the hemispherical construction when it is subjected to quasi-static compression load. Furthermore, the impact resistance of the FRHSS against projectile penetration is also assessed. Through a comparison of simulation and experimental results, it becomes evident that the Chang-Chang failure criterion can successfully model the penetration process. Finally, the influence of internal configuration on the penetration resistance of the structure is studied by finite element method. The results show that the internal configuration plays an important role in the ballistic limiting velocity and ballistic performance of the construction. This study provides a valuable reference for the design of hemispherical sandwich structures.