On the potting failure of inserts for sandwich panels: Review of defects and experimental analysis

Abstract

The potting failures of inserts in a sandwich structure are analyzed. The case of inserts potted with syntactic foam is investigated. First, the influence of defects is discussed. Then, experiments are performed to determine the tension and compression behavior of the syntactic foam. Later, a specific technological pull-out test was performed, while a Digital Image Correlation (DIC) system was used to record the tests. This allowed the different potting failure modes of inserts for sandwich panels to be observed and understood. The results obtained suggest that the potting failure of inserts occurs predominantly when fabrication or installation defects are present.

Keywords:

• Inserts
• effect of defects
• sandwich structures
• potting
• syntactic polymer foam

Acknowledgments

This support by CONACYT, Mexico, through the program “Becas Conacyt- Gobierno Frances” and the “Institut Clement Ader” and INSA of Toulouse is acknowledged with thanks.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

The present work was partly supported by CONACYT, Mexico, through the program “Becas Conacyt- Gobierno Frances”; the “Institut Clement Ader” and INSA of Toulouse