Preliminary Tests on a GRP-Vinyl Foam Sandwich Compression Panel

摘要

Design data on commercially available glass fibre reinforced plastic (GRP) was required to form the basis for the design of the hull structure for a catamaran minehunter for the Royal Australian Navy. Assistance in testing was requested by Materials Research Laboratories in those areas where their facilities were inadequate as for example in the testing of large compression panels. Preliminary tests were made on a panel of GRP sandwich construction, prepared by MRL, in order to determine the behaviour of compression panels of this type, the effects of end conditions, suitable types of strain gauges and adhesives etc., before embarking on the main test programme. It should be noted that while some experience has already been gained in the testing of GRP materials and composites little work has been done at ARL on large compression panels of this material. (Author)