Fracture in complex balsa cores of fiber-reinforced polymer sandwich structures

Fracture in the complex balsa cores of fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) sandwich beams was analyzed. The cores were composed of high- and low-density balsa layers separated by a circular adhesive interface or FRP arch. The balsa layers were cut from panels which consisted of balsa blocks adhesively bonded together. Failure in the beams was initiated by cracks propagating through the balsa core thickness. The crack locations could be predicted...