Effects of Low-Velocity-Impact on Facesheet-Core Debonding of Natural-Core Composite Sandwich Structures—A Review of Experimental Research

Abstract

Sandwich composites are often used as primary load-bearing structures in various industries like aviation, wind, and marine due to their high strength-to-weight and stiffness-to-weight ratios, but they are vulnerable to damage from Low-velocity-impact (LVI) events like dropped tools, hail, and birdstrikes. This often manifests in the form of Facesheet-Core-Debonding (FCD) and is often termed Barely-Visible-Impact-Damage (BVID), which is difficult to detect and can considerably reduce mechanical properties. In general, a balsa core sandwich is especially vulnerable to FCD under LVI as it has poorer adhesion than synthetic core materials. A cork core sandwich does show promise in absorbing LVI with low permanent indentation depth. This paper also reviews surface treatment/modification as a means of improving the adhesion of composite core and fiber materials: key concepts involved, a comparison of surface free energies of various materials, and research literature on surface modification of cork, glass, and carbon fibers. Since both balsa and cork have a relatively low surface free energy compared to other materials, this paper concludes that it may be possible to use surface modification techniques to boost adhesion and thus FCD on balsa or cork sandwich composites under LVI, which has not been covered by existing research literature.