Investigation of the Effect of Blast Loading on Sandwich Structures with Foam and Square Lattice Cores

Document Type : Impact Mechanics

Authors

1 Instructor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Technical and Vocational University (TVU), Tehran, Iran

2 Professor, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran.

3 Ph.D. in mechanics, Islamic Azad University, Damavand Branch, Iran

Abstract

In this paper, the experimental and numerical analysis of sandwich panels under blast loading is investigated. In this study, the effect of blast loading on sandwich panels with two different structures in the core has been investigated. The face sheets of the sandwich panel are made of steel with a thickness of 1 mm. One of the cores is made of polyurethane foam, and the other is a square lattice structure fabricated from the same material as the face sheets, with a thickness of 0.5 mm. The core height is 40 mm. In the experimental blast tests, a standoff distance of 10 cm is considered, and C4 explosive with a constant mass of 30 grams is used in the blast processes. Numerical analysis is performed using Abaqus software and the CONWEP technique. Furthermore, the dynamic behavior of the sandwich structure is analyzed under various conditions using simulation software. A comparison of the numerical and experimental results shows a good agreement. The analysis results indicate that polyurethane foam is not a suitable core material for sandwich panels under blast loading. However, the square lattice core proves to be effective, as the displacement of the back face sheet is smaller than that of the front face sheet, and the core undergoes plastic deformation.

Graphical Abstract

Investigation of the Effect of Blast Loading on Sandwich Structures with Foam and Square Lattice Cores

Highlights

  • Polyurethane foam core is not suitable for sandwich panels under blast loading, whereas the square lattice core is effective.
  • Increasing the standoff distance reduces the deflection of the back face sheet.
  • Increasing the explosive mass increases the deflection of the back face sheet.

 

Keywords

Main Subjects


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Volume 21, Issue 3 - Serial Number 81
Autumn
October 2025
Pages 67-82
  • Receive Date: 04 May 2025
  • Revise Date: 21 July 2025
  • Accept Date: 30 August 2025
  • Publish Date: 29 September 2025