When sandwich panels with prismatic cores are impulsively loaded, the stresses
imposed by the core on the front face, as well as those transmitted through the core
govern the response metrics, especially the center displacement, resistance to tearing,
and loads transmitted to the supports. This article presents a basic study of the
dynamic response with emphasis on the I-core. A prior assessment revealed
bucklewaves induced because of inertial phenomena accompanying the rapid
compression of the members. The development of these waves is an integral aspect of
the dynamic response. One objective of this investigation is to ascertain the
characteristics governing such waves in I-core configurations through a combined
experimental and numerical study. A particular emphasis is on the influence of
manufacturing imperfections in the core members on the formation and propagation
of the buckles. A second goal is to examine the stresses associated with the dynamic
compression of the core, again through a combined experimental and numerical
investigation.
The investigation is conducted for stainless steel I-core panels supported at the
back face and subjected to a constant velocity at the front. Imperfections to be
included in the numerical study have been ascertained by comparing buckle patterns
with those found experimentally over the relevant velocity range. The simulations
reveal that the stresses induced differ on the front and back faces. On the front they
are higher and velocity dependent. On the rear they are velocity invariant and scale
with the relative density and material yield strength. The duration of the
stress pulses, which is essentially the same on both faces, scales linearly
with the core height. It correlates with the time needed for bucklewaves to
propagate through the core to the back face. After the pulse terminates, the
core continues to compress at a stress level about an order of magnitude
smaller.