The Effect of Adhesion and Tensile Properties on the Formability of Laminated Steels

Laminated steel has been implemented in vehicle structures by several automotive manufacturers to reduce in-cabin noise. This study provides an understanding of how the adhesion between the steel skin and the viscoelastic polymer core affects laminate formability. Material properties, including peel strength, shear strength, and tensile strength were determined. The presence of the viscoelastic core was found to slightly reduce tensile properties of the laminate compared to the skin sheet. Forming limit diagrams were also determined. These indicated that the viscoelastic core properties can significantly affect formability of laminated steel compared to that of solid steel sheet. In general, the formability of laminated steel was found to be similar to or less than that of the much thinner skin sheet material, which indicates that its formability should be less than that of solid steel of the same gauge.