Sandwich panels are being used increasingly as the cladding of buildings like factories, warehouses, cold stores and retail sheds. This is because they are light in weight, thermally efficient, aesthetically attractive and can be easily handled and erected. However, to date, an authoritative book on the subject was lacking. This new reference work aims to fill that gap. The designer, specifier and manufacturer of sandwich panels all require a great deal of information on a wide range of subjects. This book was written by a group of European experts under the editorship of a UK specialist in lightweight construction. It provides guidance on: * materials used in manufacture * thermal efficiency and air- and water-tightness * acoustic performance * performance in fire * durability * special problems of sandwich panels in cold stores and chill rooms * architectural and aesthetic considerations * structural design at the ultimate and serviceability limit states * additional structural considerations including fastenings, the effect of openings and the use of sandwich panels as load-bearing walls * test procedures The book concludes with some numerical design examples and is highly illustrated throughout.

Sandwich structures represent a special form of a laminated composite material or structural elements, where a relatively thick, lightweight and compliant core material separates thin stiff and strong face sheets. The faces are usually made of laminated polymeric based composite materials, and typically, the core can be a honeycomb type material, a polymeric foam or balsa wood. The faces and the core are joined by adhesive bonding, which ensures the load transfer between the sandwich constituent parts. The result is a special laminate with very high bending stiffness and strength to weight ratios. Sandwich structures are being used successfully for a variety of applications such as spacecraft, aircraft, train and car structures, wind turbine blades, boat/ship superstructures, boat/ship hulls and many others. The overall objective of the 7th International Conference on Sandwich Structures (ICSS-7) is to provide a forum for the presentation and discussion of the latest research and technology on all aspects of sandwich structures and materials, spanning the entire spectrum of research to applications in all the fields listed above.

"Structural and Failure Mechanics of Sandwich Composites" by Leif A. Carlsson and George A. Kardomateas focuses on some important deformation and failure modes of sandwich panels such as global buckling, wrinkling and local instabilities, and face/core debonding. The book also provides the mechanics background necessary for understanding deformation and failure mechanisms in sandwich panels and the response of sandwich structural parts to a variety of loadings. Specifically, first-order and high-order sandwich panel theories, and three-dimensional elasticity solutions for the structural behavior outlined in some detail. Elasticity analysis can serve as a benchmark for judging the accuracy of simplified sandwich plate, shell and beam theories. Furthermore, the book reviews test methods developed for the characterization of the constituent face and core materials, and sandwich beams and plates. The characterization of face/core debonding is a major topic of this text, and analysis methods based on fracture mechanics are described and applied to several contemporary test specimens. Test methods and results documented in the literature are included and discussed. The book will benefit structural and materials engineers and researchers with the desire to learn more about structural behavior, failure mechanisms, fracture mechanics and damage tolerance of sandwich structures.

Sandwich Structural Composites: Theory and Practice offers a comprehensive coverage of sandwich structural composites. It describes the structure, properties, characterization, and testing of raw materials. In addition, it discusses design and process methods, applications and damage assessments of sandwich structural composites. The book: Offers a review of current sandwich composite lamination processes and manufacturing methods Introduces raw materials, including core materials, skin reinforcements, resin substrates and adhesives Discusses sandwich structure characterization, finite element analysis of the structures, and product design and optimization Describes benefits other than structural, including acoustic, thermal, and fire Details applications in various industries, including aerospace, wind energy, marine ships, recreational boats and vehicles, sport equipment, building construction, and extreme temperature applications The book will be of benefit to industrial practitioners, researchers, academic faculty, and advanced students in materials and mechanical engineering and related disciplines looking to advance their understanding of these increasingly important materials.