AN EXPERIMENTAL-STUDY OF ENERGY-ABSORPTION IN IMPACT ON SANDWICH PLATES

An experimental study of the impact of blunt strikers with a diameter of 1.85 in. (47 mm) on both bare honeycombs and sandwich plates with honeycomb cores is described. Both of these targets were supported by a rigid backing. whereas the latter was also examined under simply-supported conditions. The lateral extent of the samples was greater than the contact area, but the thickness of the cores was limited to 0.75 in. (19 mm) and that of the sandwiches was less than 1.0 in. (25 mm). Cell dimensions and face plate thickness were substantially smaller than the striker diameter. Impact velocities. which ranged from 33 to 131 ft/s (10-40 m/s) were designed to just attain densification of the targets, i.e. a condition that stopped short of further loading of the plate when complete crushing of the core had been achieved. The best correlation of energy absorption capacity without considering areal density was found to be the energy absorbed per unit of crush.