Web core sandwich bridge decks having different configurations

Abstract

This paper has proposed three different core configurations of web core sandwich bridge decks made of lightweight composite materials and investigated their performances. A simple but efficient technique is developed for the homogenization of the core layer consists of equispaced vertical web plates oriented in two, three or four directions having equal internal angles. The homogenization of the complex core configuration has helped to model the entire sandwich deck system as a simple laminated plate which is analysed using the finite element technique. This simple plate finite element model is based on Reissner-Mindlin's hypothesis for considering the effect of shear deformation of the plate. The performance of the proposed technique is tested with the detailed finite element analysis of the deck system where plate elements are used to model the face sheets as well as individual web plates.