TES T REP ORT

No .: D3.2 – p a rt 3

Tests on axially loaded sandwich panels

Publisher: Saskia Käpplein

Thomas Misiek
Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT)
Versuchsanstalt für Stahl, Holz und Steine

Task: 3.4
Object: Global load bearing capacity of axially loaded sandwich
panels

This report includes 45 pages.

Date of issue: 03.09.2010

Versuchsanstalt für Stahl, Holz und Steine, Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT) Tel.: +49 (0)721 608 2205
Abt. Stahl- und Leichtmetallbau, D-76128 Karlsruhe, Deutschland Fax: +49 (0)721 608 4078

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No.: D3.2 – part 3

Project co-funded under the European Commission Seventh Research and Technology De-
velopment Framework Programme (2007-2013)
Theme 4 NMP-Nanotechnologies, Materials and new Production Technologies
Prepared by
Saskia Käpplein, Thomas Misiek, Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT), Versuchsanstalt für
Stahl, Holz und Steine

Drafting History
Draft Version 1.1 16.08.2010
Draft Version 1.2
Draft Version 1.3
Draft Version 1.4
Final 03.09.2010

Dissemination Level
PU Public
PP Restricted to the other programme participants (including the Commis-
sion Services)
RE Restricted to a group specified by the Consortium (including the Com-
mission Services)
CO Confidential, only for members of the Consortium (including the Com-
X
mission Services)

Verification and approval

Coordinator
Industrial Project Leader
Management Committee
Industrial Committee
Deliverable
D3.2 – part 3: Axially loaded sandwich panels Due date:
Month 24
Completed:
Month 23

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Table of contents

1 Preliminary remark 4

2 Object of testing 4

3 Test set-up 5

4 Test performance 9

5 Results of the tests 10

6 Determination of the material properties 42

6.1 Core thickness of the metallic surface layers 42

6.2 Mechanical properties of the core layer 42

6.3 Wrinkling stress 43

7 Summary 45

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1 Preliminary remark

Traditionally sandwich panels are used as covering elements of buildings. In this application
the panels only transfer transverse loads (wind, snow) to the substructure by bending. In the
panels only the stress resultants of bending moment and transverse force are effective. A
recent tendency, especially in the area of smaller buildings – such as cooling chambers, cli-
matic chambers and clean rooms – is to apply the panels without substructure. In addition to
the stress resultants arising from transverse loads, the wall panels also have to transfer nor-
mal forces. This result in the question for the load-bearing capacity of the panels subjected to
axial loads or a combination of axial and transverse loads.
A design concept for axially loaded sandwich panels was developed within the framework of
the EASIE project. In deliverable D3.2 – part 3, the results of the experimental tests on axial
loaded sandwich panels are presented. The evaluation of the results can be found in deliver-
able D3.3. Deliverable D3.3 is also dealing with the numerical calculations and the derivation
of a design concept.

2 Object of testing

Investigations on different types of sandwich panels were performed (Tab.1). The length of
the panels varied between 2500 mm and 3500 mm. For all tests specimens with the width
400 mm have been used.

No. Core material Core thickness Face material Face thickness Profiling of
faces
F PUR 60 steel 0,75 lightly profiled
K EPS 60 steel 0,60 flat
L EPS 60 GFRP 1,8 flat
Ta b . 1: te s te d typ e s o f s a n d wic h p a n e ls

The geometry of one panel with profiled faces (type F) was measured. The results are shown
in the following figure.

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bottom side of
11,9 11,9
production
0,58

B B*

37

1,35
top side of
production
44 80

Fig . 1: Ge o m e try o f p a n e l typ e F

3 Test set-up

The test set-up for performing the tests on axial loaded sandwich panels is outlined in Fig. 2
und Fig. 3.

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axial load N

hinged support
round steel
d=30mm
sheet of steel
wooden board d=20mm

L-shaped aluminium profiles

60x40x4
glued to the face of the panel

strain
transverse load P gauges
length L

support in mid-span

measurement of displacement

measurement of force

hinged support

Fig . 2: Te s t s e t-u p

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Fig . 3: Te s t s e t-u p

For introducing the axial force L-shaped aluminium profiles 60x40x4 were glued on the faces
of the panel. The profiles were screwed on a wooden board. The profiles were glued on the
panels, thus there was a 5 mm gap between the wooden board and the end of the panel
(Fig. 4).

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Fig . 4: Lo a d in tro d u c tio n

The axial force N was introduced by a sheet of steel which was connected to a round steel. At
the lower end of the panel the round steel was used as hinged support (Fig. 5). At the top end
of the panel the round bar was supported hinged and vertical movable.

Fig . 5: Hin g e d s u p p o rt

In mid-span of the panel an additional support was located to apply an initial deflection to the
panel. During the test the reaction force P and the deflection w was measured at mid-span
(Fig. 6 and Fig. 7).
At the face subjected to tension two strain gauges were applied.

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Fig . 6: S u p p o rt a t m id -s p a n

strain
gauges

support at mid-span

w1 w2
P1 P2 measurement of displacement

measurement of force

Fig . 7: Me a s u re m e n ts a t m id -s p a n

4 Test performance

At the beginning of the test an initial deflection w0 was applied to the panel at mid-span. At this
position the support was fixed during the test. Following the axial force N was applied, the rate
of loading was 1 mm/min.
During the test the axial force N, the reaction force P in mid-span and the deflection w of the
panel was measured. Additionally the strain in the face subjected to tension was measured by
the strain gauges.

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5 Results of the tests

The following pages show the results of the tests on axial loaded sandwich panels. For each
test, a table listing all relevant parameters is given, followed by the graphs of the measured
values. In addition significant pictures are shown for each test.

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No. 01
type of panel: F
length of panel: 2500 mm
face material: steel
face thickness: 0,75 / 0,75 mm
core material: PU
core thickness: 60 mm

Measured dimensions
length L: 2548 mm
thickness of the panel B: 61,20 mm / 60,45 mm
width of the panel: 404 mm

Initial deflection at mid-span w0: 15,0 mm

max. axial load N: 34,4 kN

mode of failure: Failure of glue at load introduction

remarks:

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Fig . 8: Fa ilu re m o d e o f te s t n o . 01

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No. 02
type of panel: F
length of panel: 2500 mm
face material: steel
face thickness: 0,75 / 0,75 mm
core material: PU
core thickness: 60 mm

Measured dimensions
length L: 2545 mm
thickness of the panel: 60,52 mm / 60,82 mm
width of the panel: 402 mm

Initial deflection at mid-span w0: 15 mm

max. axial load N: 51,0 kN

mode of failure: Delamination of the face subjected to compression at the
lower end

remarks:

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Fig . 9: Fa ilu re m o d e o f te s t n o . 02

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No. 03
type of panel: L
length of panel: 3000 mm
face material: GFRP
face thickness: 1,8 / 1,8 mm
core material: EPS
core thickness: 60 mm

Measured dimensions
length L: 3043 mm
thickness of the panel: 61,59 mm / 62,06 mm
width of the panel: 399 mm

Initial deflection at mid-span w0: 22 mm

max. axial load N: 10,6 kN

mode of failure: Global buckling at max. N, shear failure of the core near
load introduction after increasing the deflection

remarks:

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Fig . 10: s p e c im e n n o . 03 d u rin g th e te s t

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Fig . 11: Fa ilu re m o d e o f te s t n o . 03

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No. 04
type of panel: K
length of panel: 3000 mm
face material: steel
face thickness: 0,60 / 0,60 mm
core material: EPS
core thickness: 60 mm

Measured dimensions
length L: 3049 mm
thickness of the panel: 59,94 mm / 59,62 mm
width of the panel: 399 mm

Initial deflection at mid-span w0: 20 mm

max. axial load N: 25,3 kN

mode of failure: Shear failure of the core near load introduction

remarks:

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Fig . 12: Fa ilu re m o d e o f te s t n o . 04

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No. 05
type of panel: F
length of panel: 3000 mm
face material: steel
face thickness: 0,75 / 0,75 mm
core material: PU
core thickness: 60 mm

Measured dimensions
length L: 3049 mm
thickness of the panel B*: 59,38 mm / 59,92 mm
width of the panel: 401 mm

Initial deflection at mid-span w0: 15 mm

max. axial load N: 46,2 kN

mode of failure: Shear failure of the core at load introduction

remarks:

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Fig . 13: s u p p o rt in m id -s p a n d u rin g te s t n o . 05

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Fig . 14: Fa ilu re m o d e o f te s t n o . 05

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No. 06
type of panel: F
length of panel: 3000 mm
face material: steel
face thickness: 0,75 / 0,75 mm
core material: PU
core thickness: 60 mm

Measured dimensions
length L: 3043 mm
thickness of the panel B: 60,97 mm / 60,36 mm
width of the panel: 401 mm

Initial deflection at mid-span w0: 17,5 mm

max. axial load N: 47,0 kN

mode of failure: Shear failure of the core at load introduction

remarks:

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Fig . 15: Fa ilu re m o d e o f te s t n o . 06

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No. 07
type of panel: F
length of panel: 3500 mm
face material: steel
face thickness: 0,75 / 0,75 mm
core material: PU
core thickness: 60 mm

Measured dimensions
length L: 3548 mm
thickness of the panel B: 60,20 mm / 60,37 mm
width of the panel: 402 mm

Initial deflection at mid-span w0: 20 mm

max. axial load N: 36,7 kN

mode of failure: Shear failure of the core at load introduction

remarks:

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Fig . 16: Fa ilu re m o d e o f te s t n o . 07

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No. 08
type of panel: F
length of panel: 3500 mm
face material: steel
face thickness: 0,75 / 0,75 mm
core material: PU
core thickness: 60 mm

Measured dimensions
length L: 3555 mm
thickness of the panel B*: 59,66 mm / 59,18 mm
width of the panel: 401 mm

Initial deflection at mid-span w0: 16,5 mm

max. axial load N: 43,0 kN

mode of failure: Shear failure of the core at load introduction

remarks:

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Fig . 17: s u p p o rt in m id -s p a n d u rin g te s t n o . 08

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Fig . 18: Fa ilu re m o d e o f te s t n o . 08

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No. 09
type of panel: F
length of panel: 3500 mm
face material: steel
face thickness: 0,75 / 0,75 mm
core material: PU
core thickness: 60 mm

Measured dimensions
length L: 3545 mm
thickness of the panel B: 60,56 mm / 60,54 mm
width of the panel: 402 mm

Initial deflection at mid-span w0: 5 mm

max. Axial load N: 43,4 kN

mode of failure: Wrinkling of the face subjected to compression

remarks:

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Fig . 19: s u p p o rt in m id -s p a n d u rin g te s t n o . 09

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Fig . 20: Fa ilu re m o d e o f te s t n o . 09

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6 Determination of the material properties

6.1 Core thickness of the metallic surface layers

For each tested type of panel the core thicknesses of the metallic faces were determined.
The mean values of the results are listed in Tab. 2.

No. tK
[mm]
Face subjected to compression 0,698
(top side of production)
F
Face subjected to tension 0,700
(bottom side of production)
Face subjected to compression 0,554
K
Face subjected to tension 0,551
L GFRP
Ta b . 2: Co re th ic kn e s s o f th e m e ta llic s u rfa c e la ye rs

6.2 Mechanical properties of the core layer

The mechanical properties were determined according to EN 14509. The determination of the
compression strength fCc, the tensile strength fCt, the shear strength fCv, as well as the appro-
priate shear, compression and tensile module values GC, ECc and ECt was realized on at least
three specimens. The analysis of the modulus of elasticity EC was realised as mean value
from the compression and tensile module of a specimen pair. The mean values of the results
are listed in Tab. 3 and Tab. 4.

No. fCv fCc fCt

[N/mm²] [N/mm²] [N/mm²]
F 0,15 0,15 0,13
K 0,14 - -
L 0,14 - -
Ta b . 3: Me c h a n ic a l p ro p e rtie s o f th e c o re la ye r - s tre n g th

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No. GC ECc ECt EC

[N/mm²] [N/mm²] [N/mm²] [N/mm²]
F 3,81 3,25 4,06 3,66
K 5,57 - - -
L 11,08 - - -
Ta b . 4: Me c h a n ic a l p ro p e rtie s o f th e c o re la ye r – m o d u le

6.3 Wrinkling stress

Single-span bending tests were performed with sandwich panels type F. The sandwich panels
with a length of 5000 mm were loaded until failure in a vacuum chamber with an effective
span of 4800 mm under uniform surface load. For the calculation of the wrinkling stress the
measured thickness of the steel faces and the measured thickness of the panels were used.
The results of the single-span bending tests are listed in table 5 followed by the load-
deflection-diagrams.

core sheet
thickness thickness
of panel failure load
width of of face wrinkling
test no. span incl. dead
(mean specimen subjected stress
weight
value) to com-
pression
[mm] [mm] [mm] [mm] [kN/m] [N/mm²]
D B la tK p σw
1)
WS 1 60,5 400 4800 0,698 0,95 165
2)
WS 2 60,5 402 4800 0,700 1,24 213

1)
top side of production subjected to compression
2)
bottom side of production subjected to compression

Ta b . 5: Wrin klin g s tre s s o f th e fa c e s

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test WS 1

1,2

0,8
force [kN/m]

0,6

0,4

0,2

0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
deflection [mm]

test WS 2

1,4

1,2

1
force [kN/m]

0,8

0,6

0,4

0,2

0
0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140
deflection [mm]

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7 Summary

WP 3, task 3.4 of the EASIE project deals with sandwich panels used for buildings without
substructure. In this application the wall panels have to transfer normal forces in addition to
transverse loads. In deliverable 3.2 – part 3 the results of the experimental tests on axially
loaded sandwich panels are presented.

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