Mechanical Analysis of Sandwich Plates with Lattice Metal Composite Cores

This study investigates the modal and static behaviour of sandwich panels with lattice core structures, comparing the real cellular solid structures’ response with an equivalent homogenised model. The mechanical model has been described through the Finite Element Method (FEM), and 3D elements with reduced integration have been employed to guarantee an accurate description of skins and the lattice geometry. Different Body Centred Cubic (BCC) cell configurations have been considered: standard metal BCC cell, metal BCC cell with waved struts, standard metal composite BCC cell. Depending on the configuration, the homogenised materials showed isotropic or orthotropic properties. The composite core has been modelled using two different materials, namely an Aluminium matrix with an AlSiC filler, which is enclosed inside the other hence constituting the BCC cell’s strut. A free-vibration and static analysis parametric study has been conducted varying the strut’s diameter, the strut’s waviness and the thickness ratio of the composite struts. For the static analysis, a multiscale approach has been adopted; a first step considering the whole homogenised sandwich panel and a second step comparing the multiscale results of the homogenised model and those of real structure considering a small portion of the panel. Results reveal insights into the effects of core structure parameters on the mechanical response of sandwich panels, aiding in design optimisation and structural enhancement.