Low-velocity impact strength of sandwich materials

Sandwich materials have been widely used in weight-sensitive structures in many fields, especially in the transport industry. There are different classes of sandwiches with a wide range of materials and properties within each type. The aim of this article is the comparison of the impact strength between polymeric and aluminum sandwich structures. Impact tests were carried out by a drop test machine in order to investigate the structural response of the following different topologies of sandwich structures: PVC foam sandwiches and AFS panels. The failure mode and damage have been investigated using two experimental techniques: thermography and 3D Computed Tomography.