Behaviors of steel–concrete-steel sandwich panel with aluminum foam-filled energy absorbing supports under low-velocity impact

A new steel–concrete-steel sandwich panel with energy absorbing supports (SSP-EAS) was firstly proposed, and its dynamic responses under impact loading were investigated through conducting impact tests and numerical simulations. Three types of impact response modes of SSP-EASs were categorized according to the different crushing magnitudes of energy absorbing supports (EASs). In addition, the steel–concrete-steel sandwich panel (SSP) exhibited the combination of the global flexural deformation, local indentation and local bulging during the impact. The EAS could effectively absorb impact energy through the plastic bending of steel plates and the crushing of aluminum foam blocks, except for the response mode I with insignificant crushing of EASs. Moreover, the effects of crushing force of EASs and initial impact momentum on the dynamic responses of SSP-EAS were numerically analyzed. The impact resistance of the SSP-EAS could be improved through properly designing the EAS and assuring its maximum displacement slightly smaller than the compaction displacement during impact. In addition, the crushing force of EAS should not exceed the ultimate resistance of the SSP to assure the EAS being triggered to crush. Moreover, the SSP-EAS exhibited enhanced impact performances under higher initial impact momentum.