Investigation of Interaction between Aluminum Facing and Honeycomb Structure in Quasi-static and Impact Loading

In this paper, the interaction between aluminum facing and honeycomb structure in the quasi-static and the impact loading has been investigated experimentally. The structural elements used in this research were aluminum plate, aluminum 5052 honeycomb structure. The quasi-static penetration tests and ballistic impact experiments were performed on aluminum plate, honeycomb structure and sandwich panel by flat ended penetrator and flat ended projectile respectively. The failure mechanisms, the ballistic limit velocities, the absorbed energies due to penetration, the damage modes and some structural responses were studied. Also, the effect of interaction between aluminum facing and honeycomb structure in the quasi-static penetration and the ballistic impact response in this honeycomb sandwich panel was discussed and commented upon. Comparing energy absorption in these structures showed that the amount of absorbed energy by the sandwich panel with honeycomb core is more than the absorbed energy by the aluminum plate and honeycomb structure in the quasi-static penetration. These results indicated, when the honeycomb structure was used as the core of sandwich panel, resulted in increasing of the stiffness and the strength of the sandwich panel. The ballistic impact results showed that the absorbed energy and the ballistic limit velocity in the sandwich panel compared with the individual components was increased. Therefor the sandwich structure can be used as a suitable energy absorber.