Low-velocity impact of sandwich beams with fibre-metal laminate face-sheets

Low-velocity impact of fully clamped sandwich beams with fibre-metal laminate face-sheets and metal foam core struck by a heavy mass is investigated. Analytical solutions are developed for the dynamic response of sandwich beams with fibre-metal laminate face-sheets considering the interaction of bending and stretching induced by large deflections. According to the rigid-plastic material approximation with modifications, simple formulae are obtained for the large deflection of sandwich beams with fibre-metal laminate face-sheets. Numerical calculations are carried out, and analytical solutions capture numerical results reasonably. The effects of the composite volume fraction, the ratio of metal layer strength to composite layer strength, and core strength on the structural response are discussed. Using the analytical formulae, optimal design charts are constructed to minimize the mass of sandwich beams. It is demonstrated that the present analytical model can predict the post-yield behaviour of sandwich beams with fibre-metal laminate face-sheets reasonably.