Bending performance of a sandwich beam with sheet metal pyramidal core

Metallic sandwich structures with pyramidal cellular cores have proven to be highly effective in the industry of advanced lightweight materials thanks to their high strength-to-weight ratios. This paper presents the investigation of the bending performance of a sandwich structure based on a novel pyramidal cellular core. The effective bending and shear stiffness are investigated using numerical and experimental approaches. Furthermore, the finite element model created for the four-point bending scenario is in good agreement with the experimental one and can be subsequently used for further product development. This represents a cost-efficient method used for structural optimisation and may lead to improved mechanical properties and higher lightweight capabilities. The study includes a comparison to other existing periodic core topologies which shows that the investigated pyramidal structure has high potential to be used for the construction of sandwich panel assemblies.