Flexural creep behavior of web reinforced GFRP-balsa sandwich beams: Experimental investigation and modeling

The flexural creep behavior of one-web and two-web reinforced glass fiber reinforced plastic (GFRP)-balsa sandwich beams was studied. Three-point 3000-h bending creep tests with loads of 20%, 40%, 60% and 80% of the beams' ultimate bending capacities were performed. The results show that the specimens exhibit linear viscoelasticity at the 20% and 40% load levels, while creep failure occurs at the 60% and 80% load levels, and the addition of the...