CFRP/Nomex Honeycomb Sandwich Shell

Stable under axial compression across temperatures

A quarter-cylinder CFRP/Nomex honeycomb sandwich shell that maintains axial load-carrying capacity from -20°C to 100°C, with a failure mechanism map for predicting multiple failure modes.

Zhiyong, Zhao · Liangfu, Wu · Qiu, Hongfang · Haihu, Zhang · Jian, Peng · Li, Yujun · Wang, Jihui

Engineering Failure Analysis 2026

Specifications

Initial stiffness reduction (10 mm core)

{'zh': '56.9', 'en': '56.9'} %

Initial stiffness reduction (5 mm core)

{'zh': '50.0', 'en': '50.0'} %

Advantages

Higher load capacity with thicker core

Increasing core thickness improves load-carrying capacity and delays deformation localization, providing a longer stable deformation phase before failure.

Progressive deformation at high temperature

At high temperature, the shell exhibits progressive deformation, local wrinkling, and softening-induced buckling-related damage instead of abrupt failure, which is beneficial for monitoring and early warning.

Predictable failure modes

A theoretical framework considering six competing failure modes was established to construct a failure mechanism map, which can be used to predict failure behavior under various temperatures and loads.

Applications

• Aerospace thermal structures：For load-bearing curved structures in thermal environments with predictable failure.
• Carbon fiber sandwich components：Provides axial compression performance data and failure mechanism map over a wide temperature range.
• Lightweight high-strength structures：Tailor load-carrying and deformation behavior of lightweight structures via core thickness.
• Structural mechanics analysis：Theoretical framework with six competing failure modes constructs a failure map.