Structural Sandwich Panels for Roofing Systems in Civil Applications

The use of composite and sandwich materials in civil engineering applications can be an efficient and sustainable alternative to the traditional materials. The design of a composite sandwich panel for applications in roofing systems such as the canopies on the platforms of train stations, made up of glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) skins and a PET foam core, is herein presented, as a case study. The main advantages compared to traditional steel/concrete systems are: a high strength-to-weight ratio, durability, lightness, limited interference on railway traffic thanks to reduced installation times, factory production which reduces dangerous activities carried out on construction sites and the sustainability provided by the possibility of using recycled materials.

The design approach, developed on the recommendations provided by UNI CEN/TS 19101, an extensive experimental activity carried out on specimens and full-scale elements to characterize the mechanical and physical properties and the durability of the materials, and numerical models having different level of details developed to assess internal stressed and deformations, are critically presented and discussed. From the results, it emerges that the geometrical characteristics, i.e. the thickness of the panel, are mainly defined by the fulfilment of the limitations imposed to deformation in operational conditions, while the selection of the materials and, therefore, their mechanical and physical properties, are mainly determined by durability and fire reaction requirements.