Mechanical behavior of a sandwich plate with aluminum foam core, using an image-based layerwise model

Functionally graded materials are an advanced type of composite materials whose properties' spatial evolution can be designed through the definition of the spatial distribution of the constituent phases' mixture. This feature is particularly important if specific non-homogeneous properties' requirements are required without introducing abrupt phases' transitions, as happens in laminated materials. Porosities' distributions within these materials, may constitute a design requisite for some applications, such as medical implants, but can also be highly undesirable in other cases such as for aeronautical applications. Regardless the specific situation, its characterization is of high importance to the prediction of the resulting materials' behavior. This work is focused on the static and free vibrations' analysis of a sandwich plate with a porous aluminum foam core and outer aluminum skins. The porosities' distribution is modeled by different fitting functions, based on data obtained from a preliminary image processing stage of X-ray CT image of the sandwich plate' cross-section. A layerwise approach is considered for subsequent numerical simulations' purpose, where the sandwich skins' kinematics are modeled using the first order shear deformation theory, while the core is modeled by a higher order shear deformation theory. Fitting functions' influence on the plate' behavior is also assessed.