The course is divided into four modules. Module 0, 1 and 2 each correspond to 2 credits and module 3 to 4 credits.
Module 0 contains basic sandwich theory, materials, stresses and deformations in beams and plates.
Module 1 contains beam bending analysis. Implementation of sandwich beam finite elements and construction of a general beam analysis computer program. Buckling and free vibration of sandwich beams along with implementation of these analyses in beam finite element program.
Module 2 contains bending analysis of isotropic and anisotropic sandwich plates. Buckling and free vibration of sandwich plates. Representation of boundary conditions. Solutions by energy methods and by finite elements.
Module 3 consists of an individual literature survey or project work. Preparation of lecture notes and a one hour lecture on the chosen topic.
Upon completion of the course, the student is supposed to:
- Design sandwich beams subjected to transverse loads and in-plane loads regarding transverse displacement, strength, critical buckling load, natural frequencies and local buckling.
- Design isotropc and orthotropic sandwich plates subjected to transverse loads and in-plane loads regarding transverse displacement, strength, critical buckling load, natural frequencies and local buckling.
- Determine where a sandwich structure is preferred to other structural concepts based on knowledge of the properties of sandwich structures.
- Formulate a finite element for sandwich beams and use plate and shell elements with sandwich properties.
- Read and understand scientific papers on a topic of choice regading sandwich structures and explain the content in an understabdable way.
- Turn the content of scientific literature into e.g. own computer code, analysis methods or experimental methods.
