Finite Prism Elastic Buckling Analysis and Application in Steel Foam Sandwich Members

The objective of this research is to develop a layer-wise finite prism method for studying the elastic buckling of steel foam sandwich members. Foamed steel, literally steel with internal voids, enables lightweight and stiff components. Steel foam sandwich panels (steel face sheets and low-density, highly porous foam core) exhibit higher bending rigidity and plate buckling strength in comparison to slender, steel plates with the same weight. Analytical sandwich plate buckling solutions are not applicable to buckling analysis of cold-formed sandwich members with interaction between local and global buckling modes. Finite element analysis (either solid 3D or shell representation) provides the most reliable solution; however, its use is complicated, computationally expensive, and not practical for engineers. The proposed layer-wise finite prism solution is an alternative, easy-to-use tool, which builds upon the shape functions available in the literature, and is verified against eigenbuckling finite element solutions implemented in LS-DYNA software. Future research is needed to incorporate the elastic buckling solutions in the direct strength design of sandwich panel members. 

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