Mechanical characterisation of sandwich structures: a case study comparing common and fire-resistant ACM panels

Aluminium Composite Material (ACM) is a lightweight and strength sandwich structure composed of a homogeneous polymer core and aluminium skins. ACM is a commercially worldwide material primarily for construction applications in two categories: (I) ACM PE consists of low-density polyethylene core, and (II) ACM FR is made of low-density polyethylene core combined with magnesium hydroxide particles targeting fire-resistant requirements. This work is a case study to statistically compare the mechanical properties of ACM PE and ACM FR under three-point bending for decision-making criteria in structural design. Both types of ACM present acceptable mechanical performance, with specific stiffness close to that of aluminium. ACM panels support more than 45 kgf per 90 x 180 mm². While ACM FR has higher absolute strength, ACM PE has higher stiffness and a greater modulus of toughness. ACM PE is superior in terms of specific strength due to its lower structural weight. Their elastic-plastic transitions are similar. ACM FR is not a good choice in terms of mechanical performance unless flame-resistant properties are required. Fundings: CAPES MSc Scholarship (SAC #1773569 & SCBA #88882.427173/2019-01). Also on ResearchGate: http://bit.ly/3wfx39l.Cite as: R.J. da Silva, J.C. dos Santos, F.B. Batista, T.H. Panzera. "Mechanical characterisation of sandwich structures: a case study comparing common and fire-resistant ACM panels". In Proceedings of the 6th Brazilian Conference on Composite Materials (Part of ISSN 2316-1337), Organised and Edited by R.J. da Silva & T.H. Panzera, 2022, pp. 420-425. DOI: https://doi.org/10.29327/56649