Deformation and Energy Absorption of Composite Sandwich Beams

Dr Vcelka investigated the deformation and energy absorption of composite sandwich beams. The research revealed, that the combination of carbon fibre and aluminium foam into a sandwich beam has superior energy absorbing abilities, compared to traditional beam structures. A novel finite element model was produced, which included advanced failure criteria and was used to make predictions about the mechanical behaviour of said structures. These findings provide further insight into how composite structural beams behave when deformed during three-point bending. The research can aid designers and be used in commercial applications, such as the design of vehicles, to help optimize the structure for energy absorption to reduce the chance of injury during impact.