Finite element analysis of sandwich panels subjected to shock tube blast loadings

Sandwich panels with a cellular core are being widely considered for blast mitigation applications, including armor systems, because of their capability to carry transverse loads with minimal weight penalty and absorb plastic energy. In this study, several finite element models are generated and used in simulating the performance of sandwich circular panels against shock tube blast loadings. A comparison of the numerical results for aluminum and Kevlar sandwich circular panels and their corresponding monolithic solid circular plates having similar mass shows that under the shock tube blast loadings considered in this study, the peak values of the transmitted overpressure, particle acceleration, and deflection of the back face measured from gauges are less for the sandwich circular panels than for the monolithic solid circular plates. The findings are consistent with those reported by other researchers. A parametric study is conducted in investigating the influence of sandwich panel material property, configuration and mass distribution, on the sandwich performance against shock tube blast loadings. It is revealed that the peak values of transmitted overpressure, particle acceleration, and deflection of the back face are dependent on these parameters.