The finite element software was used to get the X-Cor sandwich’ s stress fields and its compressive
strength was also analysed. During the compressive strength analysis, the failure criterion and materials stiffness degradation
rules fitting for the analysis of the X-Cor sandwich’s failure mechanism were proposed and the X-Cor sandwich’s
failure process and modes were also clarified. According to the failure criterion we used the elements with stiffness
degradation and their distributions in the finite element model to simulate the types and propagation path of the
failure and the failure mechanisms of the X-Cor sandwich under compression were explained. The finite element analysis
indicates that during the compression firstly the resin regions fail and secondly the Z-pins fail. The main failure
mode is the Z-pin’s elastic buckling failure and the propagation paths of the failure elements are dispersive. By contrasting
the finite element results and experiments the values are consistent well and the error range is -7． 6% to
9． 5%