The effect of facesheet/core delamination in sandwich structures under transverse loading

The present work is concerned with the problem of a delamination crack along the facesheet/core interface of a sandwich structure which is submitted to transverse loading. In contrast to a loading by compressive inplane forces or a bending loading the presumed transverse loading does not lead to buckling of the delaminated facesheet but it may provoke further delamination crack growth. As a kind of crack driving force the energy release rate is studied for a virtual crack growth by means of Irwinʹs crack closure integral within a finite element modelling. The resultant energy release rate is dependent on various geometrical and material parameters which is investigated in some detail.