Dynamic Response of Sandwich Panels With a Flexible Core Under Simultaneous Low-Velocity Impacts of Multiple Small Masses

Dynamic response of sandwich panels with a flexible core under simultaneous low-velocity impacts of multiple small masses has investigated in this paper. The contact forces between the panel and the impactors are treated as the internal forces of the system. Shear deformation theory is used for the face sheets while three dimensional elasticity is used for the soft core. The fully dynamic effects of the core layer and the face-sheets are considered in this study. The results in multiple mass impacts over sandwich panels are presented based on proposed improved higher-order sandwich plate theory (IHSAPT). As no literature could be found on the impact of multiple impactors over sandwich panels, the present formulation is validated indirectly by comparing the response of two cases of double small masses and single small mass impacts based on Olsson’s wave control principle.