Energy Absorption and Failure Behaviour of Composite Sandwich Panels Under Quasi-Static Indentation: Experimental and Numerical Study 


Vol. 27,  No. 3, pp. 1479-1494, Mar.  2026
10.1007/s12221-025-01293-5


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  Abstract

This study investigates the quasi-static indentation (QSI) behaviour of sandwich structures composed of glass fibre-reinforced polymer (GFRP) face sheets and an aluminium honeycomb core. The sandwich specimens were fabricated and tested in accordance with ASTM D-7766 standards to evaluate their energy absorption characteristics, load-bearing response, and failure mechanisms under indentation loading. Numerical simulations were carried out using ABAQUS/Explicit to validate the experimental results. The Hashin failure criterion was applied to model damage in the GFRP face sheets, while the aluminium core was characterized using material properties appropriate for Johnson Cook damage behaviour. Experimental observations revealed dominant failure modes such as core crushing, face sheet delamination, and fibre fracture. These failure patterns were effectively captured in the numerical simulations, providing valuable insights into the damage progression and internal stress distribution within the sandwich panels. A strong correlation between experimental and simulation results confirmed the accuracy of the numerical model in predicting QSI performance. This combined experimental–numerical investigation demonstrates the structural efficiency and energy-absorbing potential of GFRP/aluminium honeycomb sandwich composites, making them suitable candidates for use in load-resistant and lightweight engineering applications.

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  Cite this article

[IEEE Style]

M. Vasudevan and M. Ramamoorthy, "Energy Absorption and Failure Behaviour of Composite Sandwich Panels Under Quasi-Static Indentation: Experimental and Numerical Study," Fibers and Polymers, vol. 27, no. 3, pp. 1479-1494, 2026. DOI: 10.1007/s12221-025-01293-5.

[ACM Style]

Maiarutselvan Vasudevan and Manoharan Ramamoorthy. 2026. Energy Absorption and Failure Behaviour of Composite Sandwich Panels Under Quasi-Static Indentation: Experimental and Numerical Study. Fibers and Polymers, 27, 3, (2026), 1479-1494. DOI: 10.1007/s12221-025-01293-5.

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