Experimental investigation on deformation and failure of metallic sandwich panels under blast loading

Deformation and failure of large deflection of peripherally clamped square cellular core sandwich panels under blast loading were investigated in this paper. Tests were conducted at different levels of impulse load on the sandwich panels and solid plates with the same mass. Quantitative results were obtained based on the measurement in the tests by a ballistic pendulum with corresponding sensors, and then the deformation/failure modes of specimen were classified and analysed systematically. Experimental results show that the blast loaded metallic sandwich panels can fail in several modes: indentation and penetration failure of front face, face wrinkling, core crushing damage, large inelastic deformation and delamination between the face and the crushed foam core. Moreover, the results of the parametric study indicate that the dynamic response of sandwich panel is sensitiveto its configuration and loading intensity. The results are of worth to optimum design of metallic sandwich structures.