Deflection behaviors of polymer mortar sandwich panels reinforced with GFRP

This study prepared sandwich panel specimens composed of methyl methacrylate (MMA)‐modified polymer mortar at the core and reinforced with high‐tensile GFRP on both faces to propose a method to predict the deflection of polymer mortar sandwich panels under flexural load. Nine experimental specimens of different thickness at the core and face were prepared for the flexural load test to determine the moment‐deflection relationship, and the experimental results were compared with existing theoretical models. The comparison study revealed that the deflection behavior of the specimens in response to the variation in the thickness of the specimens at the core and face could be well predicted. Additionally, an analytical model, which revised a bilinear method, to explain the tension stiffening effect of the prepared sandwich panel specimens under the influence of flexural load is proposed. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008