sandwichconstructies

Sandwich constructions, or sandwich panels, are a class of lightweight composite structures composed of two thin, stiff facing skins bonded to a thicker, lightweight core. The skins carry in-plane and bending stresses, while the core, typically a low-density material, maintains a fixed separation and provides shear rigidity.

In operation the panel acts as a beam with the cores preventing skins from collapsing together under bending loads. The result is a high stiffness-to-weight ratio and good thermal and acoustic insulation, making sandwich constructions attractive where weight savings are critical.

Materials commonly used include metallic skins (aluminum or steel), or fiber-reinforced polymer skins (carbon or glass fiber composites), with cores such as aluminum honeycomb, foam (polyurethane, polyvinyl chloride), or paper honeycomb and, in some cases, balsa. Manufacturing methods include adhesive bonding, mechanical fasteners, or co-curing; cores are often pre-formed and faces laminated or cured together.

Design considerations include selecting skin thickness, core density, and bonding quality to meet bending stiffness, compressive strength, and environmental durability. Common failure modes are face–core debonding, core shear, and core crushing. Moisture sensitivity and damage detection are important in some core materials.

Applications span aerospace, marine, wind turbine blades, automotive side panels, and architectural/industrial panels. Sandwich constructions are also used in cold storage and railcars where insulation and rigidity are needed. The field continues to evolve with advanced cores such as fiber-reinforced skins and chemistries to improve damage tolerance and recyclability.