Resistance of three-layered structures to static and cyclic bending

Conclusions The above studies of two types of three-layer structural elements showed that the types have different resistances to static deformation in bending. Regardless of the materials, the use of structures which are symmetrical in regard to stiffness makes it possible to obtain a stiffness and strength for the structure which are 10–15% lower than the stiffness and strength of the external plates if the thickness of the latter does not account for more than 25% of the thickness of the structure. This finding, in turn, permits a substantial reduction in the weight of the structure by the use of a lower-density material for the internal layer. Resistance to static bending is determined mainly by the resistance of the structure to shear stresses. The mechanism of fatigue fracture differs appreciably from the fracture mechanism in static deformation. Regardless of the thickness of the structural elements, fatigue fracture for both types of structure occurs as a result of the acting normal compressive stresses. The endurance limit of the hybrid structure is determined by the fatigue resistance of the external layers, and its value is nearly equal to the resistance of the pure materials.Presented at the Sixth All-Union Conference on the Mechanics of Polymer and Composite Materials (Riga, November, 1986).Translated from Mekhanika Kompozitnykh Materialov, No. 5, pp. 878–882, September–October, 1986.