International Conference on Material Science and Application (ICMSA 2015)

Equivalent Laminated Model of the Aluminum Honeycomb Sandwich

Panel
Jun ZHANG1,a
1

Wuxi First Scientific Research Institute, Wuxi China, 214035

a

[email protected]

Keywords: Equivalent laminated Model, The Aluminum Honeycomb Sandwich Panel, Positive
Hexagon Core, FEM.

Abstract. In order to improve quality, safety and dependability, researches on the mechanical
characteristics of the aluminum honeycomb sandwich panel have been given more prominence. In
the present study, an equivalent laminated model with three layers is presented to simulate the
behavior of the aluminum honeycomb sandwich panel with positive hexagon core. In the equivalent
model, upper and lower layers are the same as that of the aluminum honeycomb sandwich panel, the
middle honeycomb core is equivalent to a layer with isotropic properties. The elastic parameters of
each layer are not necessarily the same. Examples indicate that the present model is reasonable and
credible.
Introduction
The aluminum honeycomb sandwich panel is a kind of special compound materials. Because of
its excellent material function, it is widely used in aerospace, aviation and ship manufacturing. In
order to improve product quality, ensure the sandwich panel safety and reliability, it is necessary to
study its mechanical property. Jeyakrishnan et al [1] carried out an avant-garde study on Buckling
of honeycomb sandwich panel of hexagonal cell considering simply supported boundary constraints.
Luca Guj and Aldo Sestieri [2] established a mathematical model based on a multi-scale asymptotic
technique for the dynamic description of honeycomb structures. Chen Jun et. al [3] put out an
experiment measurement method of the metal honeycomb core sandwich panel. Liang Sen et al [4],
Fu Minghui [5], studied the equivalent elastic parameters of regular hexagonal honeycomb. Xu
Sheng-jin introduced a method of equivalent analysis for dynamic and statics behavior of
honeycomb sandwich plates with orthotropic materials. In various forms of aluminum honeycomb
core, positive hexagon core is applied most extensively. The aim of the present study is to establish
an equivalent laminated model of the aluminum honeycomb sandwich panel with positive hexagon
core. Each layer of the laminated plate is isotropic properties.
Equivalent Model
In order to facilitate the analysis, unified symbols are necessary. The honeycomb sandwich panel
is composed of a upper and lower isotropic aluminum skin layer with plane stiffness and smaller
thickness, and a middle honeycomb core. The sketch of the honeycomb sandwich panel is shown in
Fig.1, where h f is the thickness of a skin layer, hc the thickness of honeycomb core. The total
thickness of the aluminum honeycomb sandwich panel is
H 2h f hc

(1)

Fig.1 Sketch of the honeycomb sandwich panel

2015. The authors - Published by Atlantis Press

314

The sandwich core (shown in Fig.2) with positive hexagon can be equivalent to a single plate
with isotropic function. A laminated model with three layers is introduced to calculate the
mechanical behaviors of the whole aluminum honeycomb sandwich panel. In the model, each layer
is isotropic properties. The elastic parameters of each layer are not necessarily the same. The
stress-strain relationship can be written as:

N x A11
N
y
N z

M x
M y

M z

A12
A11
2 A66
D11 D12
D11

x0

y0
xy 0

x
y

2 D66 xy

(2)

where the coefficients of Eq.(8) can be see in book [5].

The Young's modulus of the equivalent center layer can be written as:

Ecef

4 t
Ef
3 3l

(3)

where t and l are the cell thickness and size(shown in Fig.2); the relaxation coefficient
with value of 0.8 in the present study.

Fig.2 Sketch of the honeycomb core

Examples
There are two rectangular aluminum honeycomb sandwich panels, one is a plate with length of
500mm and width of 400mm, and the other is a square with length of 300mm. The skin-layer
thickness h f of both panels is 3mm, the thickness of honeycomb core hc is both 44mm. Panels
can be calculated with FEM for 3D model and the equivalent laminated model. The following three
cases are considered:
(1) One Side is fixed support, and a skin layer bears surface pressure of 1MPa;
(2) One Side is fixed support, and a corner is under the concentrated load of 10kN;
(3) The two opposite edges are imply supported, and a skin layer bears surface pressure of 1MPa.
The results are shown in Fig.3 to Fig.8.
315

Fig.3 Calculation results of square panel with the two models in case (1)

Fig.4 Calculation results of square panel with the two models in case (2)

Fig.5 Calculation results of square panel with the two models in case (3)

Fig.6 Calculation results of rectangular panel with the two models in case (1)
316

Fig.7 Calculation results of rectangular panel with the two models in case (2)

Fig.8 Calculation results of rectangular panel with the two models in case (3)
Contrasts of the maximum displacements with the two models in any cases are shown in table 1.
The results by the present equivalent laminated models are identical to the value by the 3D solid
FEM models. With the increase of the board size, the error of the two models is more and more
small.
Tab.1 The maximum displacements
Case
The square panel in
case(1)
The square panel in
case(2)
The square panel in
case(3)
The rectangular panel
in case(1)
The rectangular panel
in case(2)
The rectangular panel
in case(3)

FEM of 3D model
/mm

FEM of the equivalent

laminated model /mm

Deviation
/%

5.0398

5.0742

0.6826

2.2874

2.3159

1.246

0.3124

0.3455

10.5954

33.7606

33.7772

0.0492

6.0347

6.0785

0.7258

0.9882

1.0597

7.2354

Conclusion
An equivalent laminated model with three layers is introduced to calculate the behavior of the
aluminum honeycomb sandwich panel with positive hexagon core, in which upper and lower layers
317

are the same as that of the aluminum honeycomb sandwich panel, the middle honeycomb core is
equivalent to a layer with isotropic properties. The elastic parameters of each layer are not
necessarily the same. Examples indicate that the present model is reasonable and credible. With the
increase of the board size, the error of the two models is more and more small.
References
[1] P R Jeyakrishnan, Kn K S K Chockalingam, R Narayanasamy. Studies on buckling behavior of
honeycomb sandwich pane. The International Journal of Advanced Manufacturing Technology,
2013, Vol. 65, Issue 5-8, pp 803-815
[2] Luca Guj, Aldo Sestieri. Dynamic modeling of honeycomb sandwich panel. Archive of Applied
Mechanics, 2007, Vol.77, Issue 11, pp 779-793
[3] Cheng Jun, Zeng Wei-ming, Fang Ru-hua et.al. Experimental measurement of metal
honeycomb core sandwich panel equivalent modulus of elasticity. Journal of Experimental
Mechanics, 2003, Vol.18, No.1, pp50-55(in Chinense)
[4] Liang Sen, Chen Hua-ling, Chen Tian-ning et. al. Analytical study of the equivalent elastic
paramenters for a honeycomb core. Journal of Aeronautical Materials, 2004, Vol.24,No.3,
pp26-31(in Chinense)
[5] Fu Minghui, Yin Jiuren. Equivalent elastic parameters of the honeycomb core. Acta Mechanica
Sinca, 1999, Vol.21,No.1, pp113-118(in Chinense)
[6] Xu Sheng-jin, Kong Xian-ren, Wang Ben-li et.al. Method of equivalent analysis for statics and
dynamics behavior of orithotropic honeycomb sandwich plates. Acta Materiae Compositae Sinica,
2000, Vol.17, No.3, pp92-95

318