Numerical study on structural behaviour of 3D sandwich wall under vertical and in-plane loading
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Precast three-dimensional (3D) sandwich wall panels are rapidly increasing in modern construction due to their high strength-to-weight ratio, thermal efficiency, and rapid installation. However, their structural behaviour under combined vertical and in-plane loading, along with the influence of boundary stiffening, remains insufficiently studied. This study presents a nonlinear finite element investigation of 3D sandwich wall panels using ANSYS Mechanical APDL to evaluate their structural response under vertical, in-plane, and combined loading conditions. Concrete was modelled using SOLID65 elements incorporating cracking and crushing behaviour, while reinforcement and expanded polystyrene (EPS) core were included to simulate composite action. The influence of boundary stiffening and longitudinal reinforcement on load–displacement behaviour, stiffness degradation, ductility, stress distribution, and crack development were systematically analyzed. The results indicate that boundary stiffening enhances load-carrying capacity by approximately 3 to 5%, while longitudinal reinforcement improves ductility by up to 45% under in-plane loading. Stiffness degradation ranging from 22% to 24% was observed across all configurations, confirming that concrete cracking is the primary factor governing stiffness reduction. The crack patterns were found to align with principal stress distribution patterns, with dominant diagonal cracking under in-plane and combined loading conditions. The validation against experimental results and codal provisions demonstrates good agreement, with deviations generally within 10 to 15%, confirming the reliability of the numerical model. The study provides a reliable and validated numerical framework for assessing the behaviour of precast 3D sandwich wall systems and supports their design under complex loading scenarios.
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