Performance Enhancement of Bonded Aluminum Composite Panels through Control of Polyethylene Core Thickness

This study analyzes the global mechanical behavior and performance optimization of Aluminum Composite Panels (ACP) with a polyethylene (PE) core. Conventional multilayer ACP designs often lead to excessive material use and high weight. The effect of PE core thickness on mechanical performance was investigated to reduce the number of layers while maintaining structural integrity. Experimental tensile tests and finite element (FEM) simulations using ABAQUS/Explicit were conducted to evaluate the elastic and plastic deformation of ACP up to failure. The combined effects of core thickness and the number of sandwich layers were systematically analyzed. Results show that the apparent Young’s modulus (Eapp) decreases with increasing core thickness and number of layers. Adjusting the PE core thickness allows a single ACP to replace multiple bonded panels while maintaining equivalent load-bearing capacity. A single ACP with a 10 mm PE core can replace three 4 mm bonded panels. This approach reduces aluminum consumption, structural weight, and material usage while promoting the use of recyclable polymer cores. The findings highlight the relevance of the apparent modulus as a key design parameter and confirm the potential of ACPs as lightweight, high-performance, and sustainable materials for industrial applications.