Review of composite sandwich structure in aeronautic applications

This paper presents a review of the issues concerning sandwich structures for aeronautical applications. The main questions raised by designers are first recalled and the complexity of sandwich structure design for aeronautics is highlighted. Then a review of applications is presented, starting with early examples from the 1930s and the Second World War. The growth in the use of sandwich materials in civil and military applications is then developed. Recent research and innovations conclude the paper.