Blast response of geometrically asymmetric metal honeycomb sandwich plate: Experimental and theoretical investigations

Dynamic response of geometrically asymmetric sandwich plates with aluminum hexagonal honeycomb core subjected to blast loading is investigated experimentally and theoretically. Specimens of various face sheet thicknesses are tested for three blast intensities which are varied by changing the weights of cyclotrimethylene trinitramine (RDX) explosive charges at a constant standoff distance. Four edges of sandwich plates are fully clamped. The deformation and damage modes of sandwich plates are obtained. The influences of the blast loading and the core density on the dynamic response of sandwich plates are analyzed. The analytical model is developed to predict the blast response of the geometrically asymmetric sandwich plate subjected to blast loading. It is shown that the theoretical predictions of the deflection of the center point at the rear face sheet is in good agreement with the experimental results. The geometrical asymmetry due to the thicknesses of the face sheets has a significant effect on the deformation and damage of sandwich plates.