TITLE:

Numerical and Experimental Investigation of Tapered Closures in Sandwich Composites

DATE:

Friday, January 31st, 2014

TIME:

3:30 PM

LOCATION:

GMCS 214

SPEAKER:

Dr. Satchi Venkatraman. Department of Aerospace Engineering, San Diego State University

ABSTRACT:

Sandwich composites used in aerospace and marine structures due to their high specific bending

stiffness and high specific in-plane strengths need to be ramped down to a solid laminate along the

edges for mechanical fastening (bolts, rivets). These tapered ramps in sandwich panels have large

stress localized stress concentrations that lead to initiation and growth of delamination failures. This

talk presents a recent combined numerical and experimental study conducted to evaluate the use of

functionally graded materials cores in sandwich composites to mitigate such failures. The talk will

highlight some remaining challenges in numerical modeling and prediction of fracture initiation and

growth at tapered closures, and present some directions chosen for future investigation.

HOST:

Dr. Jose Castillo

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