Shear Behavior of 3D Woven Hollow Integrated Sandwich Composites: Experimental, Theoretical and Numerical Study

An experimental, theoretical and numerical investigation on the shear behavior of 3D woven hollow integrated sandwich composites was presented in this paper. The microstructure of the composites was studied, then the shear modulus and load-deflection curves were obtained by double lap shear tests on the specimens in two principal directions of the sandwich panels, called warp and weft. The experimental results showed that the shear modulus of the warp was higher than that of the weft and the failure occurred in the roots of piles. A finite element model was established to predict the shear behavior of the composites. The simulated results agreed well with the experimental data. Simultaneously, a theoretical method was developed to predict the shear modulus. By comparing with the experimental data, the accuracy of the theoretical method was verified. The influence of structural parameters on shear modulus was also discussed. The higher yarn number, yarn density and dip angle of the piles could all improve the shear modulus of 3D woven hollow integrated sandwich composites at different levels, while the increasing height would decrease the shear modulus.