• Advances in nano research
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.175-189
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• 2023

The under-evaluation structure includes a functionally graded porous (FGP) core which is confined by two piezoelectric carbon nanotubes reinforced composite (CNTRC) layers. The whole structure rests on the Pasternak foundation. Using quasi-3D hyperbolic shear deformation theory, governing equations of a sandwich plate are driven. Moreover, face sheets are subjected to the electric field and the whole model is under thermal loading. The properties of all layers alter continuously along with thickness direction due to the CNTs and pores distributions. By conducting the current study, the results emerged in detail to assess the effects of different parameters on buckling of structure. As instance, it is revealed that highest and lowest critical buckling load and consequently stiffness, is due to the V-A and A-V CNTs dispersion type, respectively. Furthermore, it is revealed that by porosity coefficient enhancement, critical buckling load and consequently, stiffness reduces dramatically. Current paper results can be used in various high-tech industries as aerospace factories.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.78 no.5
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• pp.611-622
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• 2021

Composite material-due to low density-causes weight savings, which results in lower fuel consumption of transport vehicles. The aim of the research was to change the existing base-plate of the aluminum airplane container with the composite sandwich plate in order to reduce the weight of the containers of cargo aircrafts. The newly constructed sandwich plate consists of aluminum honeycomb core and composite face-sheets. The face-sheets consist of glass or carbon or hybrid fiber layers. The orientations of the fibers in the face-sheets were 0°, 90° and ±45°. Multi-objective optimization method was elaborated for the newly constructed sandwich plates. Based on the design aim, the importance of the objective functions (weight and cost of sandwich plates) was the same (50%). During the optimization nine design constraints were considered: stiffness, deflection, facing stress, core shear stress, skin stress, plate buckling, shear crimping, skin wrinkling, intracell buckling. The design variables were core thickness and number of layers of the face-sheets. During the optimization both the Weighted Normalized Method of the Excel Solver and the Genetic Algorithm Solver of Matlab software were applied. The mechanical properties of composite face-sheets were calculated by Laminator software according to the Classical Lamination Plate Theory and Tsai-Hill failure criteria. The main added-value of the study is that the multi-objective optimization method was elaborated for the newly constructed sandwich structures. It was confirmed that the optimal new composite sandwich construction-due to weight savings and lower fuel consumption of cargo aircrafts - is more advantageous than conventional all-aluminum container.

• Composites Research
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.17-23
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• 2011

The failure of composite sandwich joints was experimentally investigated. A total of 30 joint specimens of 5 different types were tested with various fastening methods and core materials. In the NomexTM core sandwich joints, the core shear buckling was commonly observed in all the specimens which was followed by the slope change of the load-displacement curve. After the shear buckling, however, the joints carried additional loads of 50~200% over the buckling loads and then finally failed in the upper face breakage. The joints of PMI foam core showed the shear failure of the core instead of shear buckling and experienced the sharp drop of the carried load. Considering the failure modes, while both the core and face properties are important in the $Nomex^{TM}$ core joints, core shear strength seems to be the critical factor for the foam core joints.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.85 no.3
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• pp.289-304
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• 2023

The main objective of this paper is to study the effect of porosity on the buckling behavior of thick functionally graded sandwich plate resting on various boundary conditions under different in-plane loads. The formulation is made for a newly developed sandwich plate using a functional gradient material based on a modified power law function of symmetric and asymmetric configuration. Four different porosity distribution are considered and varied in accordance with material propriety variation in the thickness direction of the face sheets of sandwich plate, metal foam also is considered in this study on the second model of sandwich which containing metal foam core and FGM face sheets. New quasi-3D high shear deformation theory is used here for this investigate; the present kinematic model introduces only six variables with stretching effect by adopting a new indeterminate integral variable in the displacement field. The stability equations are obtained by Hamilton's principle then solved by generalized solution. The effect of Pasternak and Winkler elastic foundations also including here. the present model validated with those found in the open literature, then the impact of different parameters: porosities index, foam cells distribution, boundary conditions, elastic foundation, power law index, ratio aspect, side-to-thickness ratio and different in-plane axial loads on the variation of the buckling behavior are demonstrated.

• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.335-346
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• 2022

Buckling failure is a typical slope instability mode that should be paid more attention to. It is difficult to provide systematic guidance for the monitoring and management of such slopes due to unclear mechanism. Here we examine buckling failure as the potential instability mode for a slope above a railway tunnel in southwest China. A comprehensive model test system was developed that can be used to conduct buckling failure experiments. The displacement, stress, and strain of the slope were monitored to document the evolution of buckling failure during the experiment. Monitoring data reveal the deformation and stress characteristics of the slope with different slipping mass thicknesses and under different top loads. The test results show that the slipping mass is the main subject of the top load and is the key object of monitoring. Displacement and stress precede buckling failure, so maybe useful predictors of impending failure. However, the response of the stress variation is earlier than displacement variation during the failure process. It is also necessary to monitor the bedrock near the slip face because its stress evolution plays an important role in the early prediction of instability. The position near the slope foot is most prone to buckling failure, so it should be closely monitored.

• Advances in materials Research
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.279-298
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• 2022

In this paper, the important novelty and the defining a physical phenomenon of the resent research is the development of nonlocal stress and strain parameters on the porous sandwich beam with functionally graded materials in the top and bottom face sheets.Also, various beam models including Euler-Bernoulli, Reddy and the generalized formulation of two-variable beam theories are obtained in this research. According to a nonlocal strain elasticity theory, the strain at a reference point in the body is dependent not only on the stress state at that point, but also on the stress state at all of the points throughout the body. Thus, the nonlocal stress-strain elasticity theory is defined that can be actual at micro/nano scales. It can be seen that the critical buckling load and transverse deflection of sandwich beam by considering both nonlocal stress-strain parameters is higher than the nonlocal stress parameter. On the other hands, it is noted that by considering the nonlocal stress-strain parameters simultaneously becomes the actual case.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.595-605
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• 2017

The present article reported the thermal buckling strength of the sandwich shell panel structure and subsequent improvement of the same by embedding shape memory alloy (SMA) fibre via a general higher-order mathematical model in conjunction with finite element method. The geometrical distortion of the panel structure due to the temperature is included using Green-Lagrange strain-displacement relations. In addition, the material nonlinearity of SMA fibre due to the elevated thermal environment also incorporated in the current analysis through the marching technique. The final form of the equilibrium equation is obtained by minimising the total potential energy functional and solved computationally with the help of an original MATLAB code. The convergence and the accuracy of the developed model are demonstrated by solving similar kind of published numerical examples including the necessary input parameter. After the necessary establishment of the newly developed numerical solution, the model is extended further to examine the effect of the different structural parameters (side-to-thickness ratios, curvature ratios, core-to-face thickness ratios, volume fractions of SMA fibre and end conditions) on the buckling strength of the SMA embedded sandwich composite shell panel including the different geometrical configurations.

• Composites Research
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.19-25
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• 2012

The study investigated the buckling behavior of sandwich composite columns with different hole sizes and hole positions when they were applied to a compressive load. The columns consisted of 1.7mm thick faces of glass fabric/epoxy and 23mm, 37mm, 48mm, and 61mm thick cores of urethane-foam. Different hole sizes with the diameter of 25mm and 38mm were considered in this experiment. To evaluate the effect of hole position on the buckling behavior, we considered three types of hole position: 25mm diameter hole located at the center, 25mm diameter hole at 1/4 position from the center to the end of the column, and 25mm diameter hole at 1/2 position from the center to the end of the column. According to the results, buckling and maximum loads of the column having 25mm diameter hole were lower by 10% compared to those of the column without hole, whereas the loads for the column having 38mm diameter hole were 30% less than those of the column without hole. Hole position appeared to have no effect on buckling and maximum loads. Major failure modes were observed as follows: the core shear failure for the thin columns having 23mm and 37mm thick cores, and the face-core debonding for the thick columns having 48mm and 61mm thick cores.

• Advanced Composite Materials
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.41-56
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• 2008

In this research, optical fiber sensors and shape memory alloys (SMA) were incorporated into sandwich panels for development of a smart honeycomb sandwich structure with damage detection and shape recovery functions. First, small-diameter fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensors were embedded in the adhesive layer between a CFRP face-sheet and an aluminum honeycomb core. From the change in the reflection spectrum of the FBG sensors, the debonding between the face-sheet and the core and the deformation of the face-sheet due to impact loading could be well detected. Then, the authors developed the SMA honeycomb core and bonded CFRP face-sheets to the core. When an impact load was applied to the panel, the cell walls of the core were buckled and the face-sheet was bent. However, after the panel was heated over the reverse transformation finish temperature of the SMA, the core buckling disappeared and the deflection of the face-sheet was relieved. Hence the bending stiffness of the panel could be recovered.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.461-477
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• 2016

Steel-concrete-steel (SCS) sandwich composite wall has been proposed for building and offshore constructions. An ultra-lightweight cement composite with density1380 kg/m3 and compressive strength up to 60 MPa is used as core material and inter-locking J-hook connectors are welded on the steel face plates to achieve the composite action. This paper presents the numerical models using nonlinear finite element analysis to investigate the load displacement behavior of SCS sandwich walls subjected to axial compression. The results obtained from finite element analysis are verified against the test results to establish its accuracy in predicting load-displacement curves, maximum resistance and failure modes of the sandwich walls. The studies show that the inter-locking J-hook connectors are subjected to tension force due to the lateral expansion of cement composite core under compression. This signifies the important role of the interlocking effect of J-hook connectors in preventing tensile separation of the steel face plates so that the local buckling of steel face plates is prevented.