Experimental and numerical characterizations of flexural behavior of VARTM-infused composite sandwich structures

Experimental and numerical characterizations of sandwich materials are required to fully exploit the benefits offered by these materials and efficiently design them. In this study, the flexural behavior of resin-infused composite sandwich structures was investigated. Panels with two different polyvinylchloride foam densities and thicknesses were studied. The S-2 glass fabric face sheets were resin-infused and bonded to the core in a single-step process using epoxy resin. Sandwich beams machined from the panels were subjected to three- and four-point bending tests. Finite element-based simulations predicting the flexural response of the sandwich panels were performed and compared with experiments. Excellent agreement in finite element-predicted failure loads and experiments were observed.