Warping Torsion in Sandwich Panels: A Numerical Parametric Study Regarding the Rotation and Stress Distribution

In new lightweight façade applications, sandwich panels are subjected to eccentric loads alongside conventional bending loads, particularly evident in sandwich panels equipped with supplementary curtain walls or photovoltaic modules. Existing calculation models for eccentrically loaded sandwich panels primarily rely on Saint-Venant's torsion theory. Nonetheless, recent research has unveiled torsion-induced normal stresses in both face sheets, indicating the necessity to consider additional mechanical effects such as warping torsion. Building upon an experimentally validated finite element model in ANSYS, an extensive parameter study was conducted, varying geometric and material-related properties, to perform detailed analyses of the structural response of the sandwich panel under torsion. In this paper the key findings of this study are presented and discussed concerning the rotation and stress distribution plotted against the identified main parameters.