Single-Curvature Sandwich Panels with Aluminum Foam Cores under Impulsive Loading

Single-curvature sandwich panels combine the advantages of the shell and sandwich structure and are therefore envisaged to possess good potential to resist blast and shock or impact loads. This study presents a comprehensive report on the dynamic response and shock resistance of single-curvature sandwich panels, comprising two aluminum alloy face-sheets and an aluminum foam core, subjected to air-blast loading, in terms of the experimental investigation and numerical simulation. The deformation modes, shock resistance capability, and energy absorption performance are studied, and the influences of specimen curvature, blast impulse, and geometrical configuration are discussed. Results indicate that the deformation/failure, deflection response, and energy absorption of curved sandwich panels are sensitive to the loading intensity and geometric configuration. These results are significant to guide the engineering applications of sandwich structures with metallic foam cores subjected to air-blast loading