Application of the Elasticity Solution to Linear Sandwich Beam, Plate and Shell Analyses

The elasticity solution for sandwich structural elements like beams, orthotropic plates and shells is considered to yield exact results for deflections, stresses, frequencies, vibration modes, local (faces), and global (beam, plate, shell) buckling modes and related instability loads for certain boundary and loading conditions, as well as for constant material properties and small deflections. This approach therefore appears to be useful to be applied to such sandwich structures as benchmark analysis with the aim to calibrate Finite Elements computation models especially for thin face layers, thick cores, and local loading or face layer stability investigations. This paper compiles related experiences and describes some difficulties involved and provides some results, which can be used as benchmark references. The analytical solution remains applicable for unequal faces and any thickness relation, while F.E. calculations become very tedious if very thin faces are to be considered. It appears therefore desirable to be able to refer to a standard solution even if special boundary conditions only, like simply supported edges, are treated.