SandCorE – Coordination Action on Advanced Sandwich Structures in the Transportation Industry

Field of research:
Ship Structural Design; Load Carrying Behaviour

Duration:
01.01.2003 – 31.03.2006 (15 partners)

Project leader: 
Prof. Dr.-Ing. W. Fricke

Funded by:
EU (Support code TCA3-CT-2004-506330) – 16 partners (Coordinator: CMT)

ABSTRACT:
The strategic objective of the SAND.CORe project is to boost the applications of sandwich structures in a variety of transport sectors, with main interest on sea transport, to coordinate research and to create sustainable structures for future collaborative work.

In order to successfully develop these applications in the future planned projects, partners have agreed to set up the following main S&T objectives and fulfil them in this project:

  • Collection of present knowledge on sandwich structures and creation of sandwich catalogues of present applications, scientific and technological development, production, rules and regulations, in order to better analyse and understand the know-how.
  • Harmonisation and standardisation of sandwich solutions, including testing procedure, with unification of sandwich notations and vocabulary, enabling better understanding between involved parties in sandwich design and production.
  • Creation of a sandwich solutions and data catalogue.
  • Performance of benchmark studies and comparisons of different sandwich panels in possible sandwich applications, in which all the state of the art knowledge will be used, to generate and write the guides of good practice for sandwich applications, design, production, exploitation and safety assessments.
  • Generation of new RTD ideas to further develop the composite sandwich technology, such as the integration of additional functions into load bearing structures, thus supporting pre-outfitting under favourable working conditions leading to improved productivity and shorter erection lead times.
  • Promotion of knowledge and application transfer to other sectors which traditionally do not use sandwich structures in large extent, thus to increase the market potential for new materials and technologies.
FURTHER PUBLICATIONS:
  • Workshop on Sandwich Structures for Transport Applications, Brussels, Dec. 2004