SUSTAINABLE SANDWICH CORES CHARACTERIZATION AND FINITE ELEMENT MODELLING FOR STATIC AND DYNAMIC APPLICATIONS

Abstract

This thesis quantifies and compares the mechanical performance and environmental footprint of lightweight materials used in sandwich structures. A harmonised workflow combines life-cycle data (EcoInvent-based modelling adapted to European production) with quasi-static and dynamic compression tests to derive key performance indicators (KPIs) covering mechanics and sustainability: absolute and specific Youngs modulus, absolute and specific yield strength, energy absorption (EA) and their Green and Combined counterparts (normalised for CO2 per m3 and jointly for mass/CO2). The results show that aluminium honeycomb and Balsa SB.100 lead absolute and specific stiffness. The Green/Combined metrics favour Balsa and paper honeycombs due to their low CO2 intensity; PP and PVC offer balanced performance in the mid-range; PET ranks at an intermediate level but is less green than paper, virgin aluminium (foam/honeycomb) is penalised by its high ecological footprint and density, with recycled variants offering significant improvements