Sustainable Sandwich cores Characterization and Finite Element Modelling for Static and Dynamic applications.

This thesis develops a unified framework for the sustainable selection of sandwich core materials, linking mechanical performance to environmental impact. A wide range of cores, polymer foams, aluminium/paper/Nomex honeycombs, balsa and metal foams, is evaluated through quasi-static compression and dynamic impact tests to quantify stiffness, strength and energy absorption, while a consistent LCA estimates CO₂ per m³ of core. Based on this data, the work defines performance, ecological and combined KPIs that normalise mechanical metrics based on mass and carbon footprint, enabling transparent trade-offs between structural efficiency and sustainability. The results show that balsa and paper honeycomb offer the best balance between performance and CO₂; PP/PVC provides robust mid-range compromises; aluminium and Nomex excel in terms of absolute stiffness/strength but are penalised in carbon-weighted rankings (with recycled aluminium significantly improving the picture). In addition, dedicated FE compression models were created to calibrate and validate LS-DYNA material laws (MAT063/083/163) against test data, resulting in ready-to-use material cards and practical guidelines for accurate simulation in quasi-static and dynamic applications.