Mechanical Characterization of Sandwich Structure Comprised of Glass FiberReinforced Foam

ABSTRACT: This paper aims at demonstrating the feasibility of Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) systems for low-profile bypass roadways, in particular, sandwich panels comprised of GFRP facings and a Fiber Reinforced Foam (FRF) core. With the purpose of investigating the performance of the sandwich construction, an experimental program, including static and dynamic fatigue tests, was performed. The same type of specimens tested under static loading, were cyclically conditioned in order to determine its residual strength. The investigation focused on the ultimate capacity and stiffness (compressive and flexural) of the sandwich structure, as well as its residual strength and rigidity after fatigue conditioning. The mechanical properties resulting from the experiments on virgin and fatigue-conditioned samples constitute the basis for the assessment and validation of the material system for the intended application. 1