Optimizing sandwich beams for strength and stiffness

Steeves C.A. Optimizing sandwich beams for strength and stiffness (2012) Journal of Sandwich Structures and Materials, 14 (5), pp. 573 - 595. © 2012 The Author(s), Reprints and permissions: sagepub.co.uk/journalsPermissions.nav. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1099636212449851This paper presents a method for minimising structural mass by optimising the geometry and core density of sandwich beams comprising composite face sheets and polymer foam cores, loaded in three-point bending. The optimisation is constrained by both strength and stiffness requirements. All possible locations in design space which might be global minima of mass are identified, and it is shown that, for a global minimum mass, at least two constraints must be simultaneously active. Calculations for a typical set of material properties are performed with the result that, for a wide range of typical materials, a minimum-mass sandwich beam satisfying both strength and stiffness requirements utilises low density foam and is constrained by stiffness and indentation strength.Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canad