Influences of Material Properties on Energy Absorption of Composite Sandwich Panels under Blast Loads

Abstract

This paper presents a study on the influence of material properties on the energy absorption capabilities of composite sandwich panels. This is of interest as increased energy absorption capability is an effective approach to providing blast resistance. The primary scope of work includes finite element parametric studies, carried out using LS-Dyna, of single-fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) composite face sheets and FRP composite sandwich panels to determine the most influential material property parameters and suggest optimum values for these parameters in conceptual terms. The analyses also consider simultaneously varying the material properties throughout the panel and the influence of independently varying these properties among the different structural components of the panel. The results of this work can serve to design new or specify existing composite materials that have material properties optimized for increasing the blast resistance of composite sandwich panels in future work. Validation of the modeling techniques utilized and the development of quantified energy absorption metrics specific to blast applications are also discussed.