Experimental Investigation Concerning the Influence of Face Sheet Thickness on the Blast Resistance of Aluminum Foam Sandwich Structures Subjected to Localized Impulsive Loading

This study presents an experimental investigation into the dynamic response and blast resistance of aluminum foam-cored sandwich panels with varied face sheet thicknesses under impulsive loading conditions. The primary focus is on analyzing how the thickness of front and back face sheets affects the deformation behavior and energy absorption capabilities of the sandwich panels. By employing a 3D digital image correlation (3D-DIC) system coupled with post-test analyses, the dynamic responses and permanent deformations were quantitatively characterized. Failure modes of the core layers, front face sheets, and back face sheets were identified and discussed. The results demonstrated that sandwich panels with thick front face sheets exhibited superior blast resistance and energy absorption performance than their thin-front counterparts under high localized impulsive loading. The findings provide important comparative insights about face sheet thickness distribution effects, though further studies with broader thickness variations are needed to establish comprehensive design guidelines.