Moment support interaction of multi-span sandwich panels

Self-supporting double skin metal faced sandwich panels are usually designed and installed as multi-span beams. In this case, there is always an interaction at the intermediate supports between the compressional normal force in the face sheet and the support reaction orthogonally to it, which can reduce the bending capacity. Many effects influencing the reduced load-bearing capacity are not taken into account in current approval practice (and design). Within a research project funded by the DFG, experimental, numerical and analytical investigations were therefore carried out on sandwich panels. The main influences on the reduced wrinkling stress under an applied transverse compressive load were quantified and a possible solution was identified in order to take them into account in the future, e.g. within the scope of the approval tests.