An accurate assessment of the behaviour of sandwich panels using an improved higher order zigzag plate model

Abstract

In this study, an improved higher order zigzag plate theory for bending of sandwich panels is presented. It ensures transverse shear stress continuity at all the layer interfaces and transverse shear stress free conditions at the top and bottom surfaces including transverse flexibility of the core. The through thickness variation of in-plane displacements is cubic for both the face sheet and the core while the out-of-plane displacement is assumed to vary quadratically within the core but it remains constant over the face sheets. The core is modeled as a three dimensional elastic continuum. An efficient C 0 finite element is developed for the implementation of the plate theory. The accuracy and applicability of the present formulation are established by comparing the present results with the three dimensional elasticity solutions. © 2009 Taylor & Francis Group, London.