A composite structure used to form curved surfaces, such as aircraft fuselages, pressure vessels, or race car bodies. The core material, often a honeycomb or structural foam, provides shear strength and buckling resistance. The outer skins handle the in-plane tension and compression, resulting in a shell with an exceptionally high strength-to-weight ratio.
Heard on the job
The inspection revealed delamination between the outer skin and the core of the sandwich shell.