Modeling and Experimental Validation of Carbon Fiber-Kevlar Honeycomb Core Sandwich Structure

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

1 G. B. Pant DSEU Okhla-I Campus, New Delhi,110020, India

2 Government College of Engineering and Research, Avasari, Pune- 412406, India

Abstract

Composite sandwich structures are becoming more and more popular in the sports, automotive, and aerospace sectors because of their excellent strength-to-weight ratio. However, more research is required to fully understand their stiffness properties and the accuracy of predictive modeling. By simulating and examining two different sandwich structures made of Carbon fiber face sheets and Kevlar honeycomb core material represented as an equivalent solid, this study fills this gap. The Gibson and Ashby model has been adopted to find the equivalent orthotropic properties of the core because this model provides a balance between precision, computational efficiency, and suitability for honeycomb cores, guaranteeing accurate stiffness predictions and facilitating simple engineering design implementation. Experimental stiffness values of 529.74 N/mm and 479.98 N/mm for the two configurations are obtained by performing a “Three Point Bend Test” on the manufactured panels. With an accuracy deviation of about 0.84%, the numerical model predictions closely resemble the experimental findings, demonstrating the model’s dependability in representing the material’s static behavior. The sandwich structure demonstrates a stiffness of about 565 N/mm, suitable for high-load applications in aerospace and automotive sectors. Numerical modeling effectively validates the experimental results by accurately predicting the stiffness of Kevlar honeycomb core sandwich panels.

Keywords

Main Subjects

References

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