Performance of Sandwich Components with Chiral Topology Cores

摘要

Two thin plates with a stabilizing medium placed between them can be an ideal component for large and lightweight structures with increased strength, stiffness and stability. The application of the novel chiral cellular geometry will lead to the development of structural components with superior elastic and impact resilient properties. This paper proposes the design of lightweight square sandwich panels with aluminum sheets and a core made with a chiral geometry network having parallelogram-shaped nodes. Finite element analyses were undertaken in order to characterize the behavior of the considered panels as having supported edges, and loaded under lateral pressure. Also, the loading in torsion was analyzed in the case when two opposite corners are supported and in the other two corners equal and opposite normal forces are applied. For this loading experimental measurements were also done by using strain gages. The new meta-tetrachiral configurations under investigation can provide significant improvements in the mechanical performance of sandwich components, and may also be considered for advanced designs.