Dynamic response of sandwich panels with multi-layered aluminum foam/Check for UHMWPE laminate cores under air blast loading

The air blast responses of sandwich panels with multi-layered aluminum foam/UHMWPE laminate cores were analyzed experimentally and numerically. The focus was placed on the effects of foam core gradation and the locations of UHMWPE laminates. Multiple failure modes were exhibited by the panels, including local indentation and global bending deformation of face sheets, crushing and fragmentation of foam core, debonding of adhesive, and delamination and fracture failure of UHMWPE laminate. Experimental results showed that the ascending density foam core was beneficial to decrease the face sheet deformations and to alleviate the shear-induced collapse of foam core. Incorporating the UHMWPE laminates would induce a lower front face deformation and a higher back face deformation. The phenomenon would be more evident with the UHMWPE laminates placed close to the front face. Numerical results demonstrated that deploying the UHMWPE laminate as a first layer core significantly lowered the center velocity of front face. The existence of UHMWPE laminate would change the response modes of the panels. Most of the blast energy was dissipated by the multi-layered cores. The UHMWPE laminates exhibited less efficient in absorbing energy than the aluminum foam. Generally, the findings revealed the undesirable performance of the panels with multi-layered aluminum foam/UHMWPE laminate core under air blast loading.