A higher-order geometrically nonlinear sandwich shell theory accounting for transverse compressibility of the core

A geometrically nonlinear higher order model for doubly curved sandwich panels featuring laminated face-sheets is developed in this paper. The model accounts for the transverse compressibility of the core, as well as for initial geometric imperfections. The model is applied to an analysis of the buckling and postbuckling of flat and curved sandwich panels with elastic orthotropic core and face-sheets. Both the global and the local (face wrinkling) instability modes can be add ressed.