Bending of Sandwhich Beams and Columns

Abstract

<p> A detailed synopsis of the state-of-the-art in the field of the Structural Analysis of sandwich beams is presented. Deficiencies, inaccuracies, lack of clarity, and the imposition of unnecessary assumptions of behaviour found in the related bibliography are presented in a comparative fashion. A method of analysis with obvious advantages over the others studied in this thesis is derived, and its use is suggested. The presentation of all methods of analysis is made under the most general cases of dimensions and loadings to make them as applicable as possible to the common cases encountered in sandwich components for the building industry.</p> <p> Experimental work carried out on several materials with some potential to be used in sandwich members for buildings and the tests carried out on some sandwich beams and beam-columns are reported.</p>