Influence of manufacturing process-induced geometrical defects on the energy absorption capacity of polymer lattice structures

Modern additive manufacturing processes enable fabricating architected cellular materials of complex shape,which can be used for different purposes.Among them,lattice structures are increasingly used in applications requiring a compromise among lightness and suited mechanical properties,like improved energy absorption capacity and specific stiffness-to-weight and strength-to-weight ratios.A dedicated modeling strategy to assess the energy absorption capacity of lattice structures under uni-axial compression loading is presented in this work.The numerical model is developed in a non-linear framework accounting for the strain rate effect on the mechanical responses of the lattice structure.Four geometries,i.e.,cubic body centered cell,octet cell,rhombic-dodecahedron and truncated cuboctahedron 2+,are investigated.Specifically,the influence of the relative density of the representative volume element of each geometry,the strain-rate dependency of the bulk material and of the presence of the manufacturing process-induced geometrical imperfections on the energy absorption capacity of the lattice structure is investigated.The main outcome of this study points out the importance of correctly integrating geometrical imperfections into the modeling strategy when shock absorption applications are aimed for.

Reinforcing effects of polypropylene on energy absorption and fracturing of cement-based tailings backfill under impact loading

Polypropylene(PP)fiber-reinforced cement-based tailings backfill(FRCTB)is a green compound material with superior crack resistance and has good prospects for application in underground mining.However,FRCTB exhibits susceptibility to dynamic events,such as impact ground pressure and blast vibrations.This paper investigates the energy and crack distribution behavior of FRCTB under dynamic impact,considering the height/diameter(H/D)effect.Split Hopkinson pressure bar,industrial computed tomography scan,and scanning electron microscopy(SEM)experiments were carried out on six types of FRCTB.Laboratory outcomes confirmed fiber aggregation at the bottom of specimens.When H/D was less than 0.8,the proportion of PP fibers distributed along theθangle direction of80°-90°increased.For the total energy,all samples presented similar energy absorption,reflectance,and transmittance.However,a rise in H/D may cause a rise in the energy absorption rate of FRCTB during the peak phase.A positive correlation existed between the average strain rate and absorbed energy per unit volume.The increase in H/D resulted in a decreased crack volume fraction of FRCTB.When the H/D was greater than or equal to 0.7,the maximum crack volume fraction of FRCTB was observed close to the incidence plane.Radial cracks were present only in the FRCTB with an H/D ratio of 0.5.Samples with H/D ratios of 0.5 and 0.6 showed similar distributions of weakly and heavily damaged areas.PP fibers can limit the emergence and expansion of cracks by influencing their path.SEM observations revealed considerable differences in the bonding strengths between fibers and the FRCTB.Fibers that adhered particularly well to the substrate were attracted together with the hydration products adhering to surfaces.These results show that FRCTB is promising as a sustainable and green backfill for determining the design properties of mining with backfill.

Impact response and energy absorption of metallic buffer with entangled wire mesh damper

An innovative metallic buffer consisting of series-connected hat-shaped entangled wire mesh damper(EWMD)and parallel springs are proposed in this work to enhance the reliability of engineering equipment.The impact response and the energy dissipation mechanism of hat-shaped EWMD under different quasi-static compression deformations(2-7 mm)and impact heights(100-200 mm)are investigated using experimental and numerical methods.The results demonstrate distinct stages in the quasi-static mechanical characteristics of hat-shaped EWMD,including stiffness softening,negative stiffness,and stiffness hardening.The loss factor gradually increases with increasing compression deformation before entering the stiffness hardening stage.Under impact loads,the hat-shaped EWMD exhibits optimal impact energy absorption when it enters the negative stiffness stage(150 mm),resulting in the best impact isolation effect of metallic buffer.However,the impact energy absorption significantly decreases when hat-shaped EWMD enters the stiffness hardening stage.Interestingly,quasi-static compression analysis after experiencing different impact loads reveals the disappearance of the negative stiffness phenomenon.Moreover,with increasing impact loads,the stiffness hardening point progressively shifts to an earlier stage.

Compressive property and energy absorption characteristic of interconnected porous Mg-Zn-Y alloys with adjusting Y addition

In this study,interconnected porous Mg-2Zn-xY alloys with different phase compositions were prepared by various Y additions(x=0.4,3,and 6 wt.%)to adjust the compressive properties and energy absorption characteristics.Several characterization methods were then applied to identify the microstructure of the porous Mg-Zn-Y and describe the details of the second phase.Compressive tests were performed at room temperature(RT),200℃,and 300℃to study the impact of the Y addition and testing temperature on the compressive properties of the porous Mg-Zn-Y.The experimental results showed that a high Y content promotes a microstructure refinement and increases the volume fraction of the second phase.When the Y content increases,different Mg-Zn-Y ternary phases appear:I-phase(Mg_(3)Zn_(6)Y),W-phase(Mg_(3)Zn_(3)Y_(2)),and LPSO phase(Mg_(12)ZnY).When the Y content ranges between 0.4%and 6%,the compressive strength increases from 6.30MPa to 9.23 MPa,and the energy absorption capacity increases from 7.33 MJ/m^(3)to 10.97 MJ/m^(3)at RT,which is mainly attributed to the phase composition and volume fraction of the second phase.However,the average energy absorption efficiency is independent of the Y content.In addition,the compressive deformation behaviors of the porous Mg-Zn-Y are altered by the testing temperature.The compressive strength and energy absorption capacity of the porous Mg-Zn-Y decrease due to the softening effect of the high temperature on the struts.The deformation behaviors at different temperatures are finally observed to reflect the failure mechanisms of the struts.

Dynamic crushing behaviors and enhanced energy absorption of bio-inspired hierarchical honeycombs with different topologies

In order to pursue good crushing load uniformity and enchance energy absorption efficiency of conventional honeycombs, a kind of bio-inspired hierarchical honeycomb model is proposed by mimicking the arched crab shell structures. Three bio-inspired hierarchical honeycombs(BHHs) with different topologies are designed by replacing each vertex of square honeycombs with smaller arc-shaped structures. The effects of hierarchical topologies and multi-material layout on in-plane dynamic crushings and absorbed-energy capacities of the BHHs are explored based on the explicit finite element(FE) analysis.Different deformation modes can be observed from the BHHs, which mainly depend upon hierarchical topologies and impact velocities. According to energy efficiency method and one-dimensional(1D) shock theory, calculation formulas of densification strains and plateau stresses for the BHHs are derived to characterize the dynamic bearing capacity, which is consistent well with FE results. Compared with conventional honeycombs, the crushing load efficiency and energy absorption capacity of the BHHs can be improved by changing the proper hierarchical topology and multi-material layout. These researches will provide theoretical guidance for innovative design and dynamic response performance controllability of honeycombs.

Geometric Accuracy and Energy Absorption Characteristics of 3D Printed Continuous Ramie Fiber Reinforced Thin-Walled Composite Structures

The application of continuous natural fibers as reinforcement in composite thin-walled structures offers a feasible approach to achieve light weight and high strength while remaining environmentally friendly.In addition,additive manufacturing technology provides a favorable process foundation for its realization.In this study,the printability and energy absorption properties of 3D printed continuous fiber reinforced thin-walled structures with different configurations were investigated.The results suggested that a low printing speed and a proper layer thickness would mitigate the printing defects within the structures.The printing geometry accuracy of the structures could be further improved by rounding the sharp corners with appropriate radii.This study successfully fabricated structures with vari-ous configurations characterized by high geometric accuracy through printing parameters optimization and path smoothing.Moreover,the compressive property and energy absorption characteristics of the structures under quasi-static axial compression were evaluated and compared.It was found that all studied thin-walled structures exhibited progressive folding deformation patterns during compression.In particular,energy absorption process was achieved through the combined damage modes of plastic deformation,fiber pullout and delamination.Furthermore,the com-parison results showed that the hexagonal structure exhibited the best energy absorption performance.The study revealed the structure-mechanical property relationship of 3D printed continuous fiber reinforced composite thin-walled structures through the analysis of multiscale failure characteristics and load response,which is valuable for broadening their applications.

Mechanical Properties and Energy Absorption of Integrated AlSi10Mg Shell Structures with BCC Lattice Infill

Shell-infill structures comprise an exterior solid shell and an interior lattice infill,whose closed features yield superior comprehensive mechanical performance and light weight.Additive manufacturing(AM)can ensure the fabrica-tion of complex structures.Although the mechanical behaviors of lattice structures have been extensively studied,the corresponding mechanical performances of integrated-manufactured shell structures with lattice infills should be systematically investigated due to the coupling effect of the exterior shell and lattice infill.This study investigated the mechanical properties and energy absorption of AlSi10Mg shell structures with a body-centered cubic lattice infill fabricated by AM.Quasi-static compressive experiments and corresponding finite element analysis were conducted to investigate the mechanical behavior.In addition,two different finite element modeling methods were compared to determine the appropriate modeling strategy in terms of deformation behavior.A study of different parameters,including lattice diameters and shell thicknesses,was conducted to identify their effect on mechanical performance.The results demonstrate the mechanical advantages of shell-infill structures,in which the exterior shell strengthens the lattice infill by up to 2.3 times in terms of the effective Young’s modulus.Increasing the infill strut diameter can improve the specific energy absorption by up to 1.6 times.

A Footpad Structure with Reusable Energy Absorption Capability for Deep Space Exploration Lander:Design and Analysis

The footpad structure of a deep space exploration lander is a critical system that makes the initial contact with the ground,and thereby plays a crucial role in determining the stability and energy absorption characteristics during the impact process.The conventional footpad is typically designed with an aluminum honeycomb structure that dissipates energy through plastic deformation.Nevertheless,its effectiveness in providing cushioning and energy absorption becomes significantly compromised when the structure is crushed,rendering it unusable for reusable landers in the future.This study presents a methodology for designing and evaluating structural energy absorption systems incorporating recoverable strain constraints of shape memory alloys(SMA).The topological configuration of the energy absorbing structure is derived using an equivalent static load method(ESL),and three lightweight footpad designs featuring honeycomb-like Ni-Ti shape memory alloys structures and having variable stiffness skins are proposed.To verify the accuracy of the numerical modelling,a honeycomb-like structure subjected to compression load is modeled and then compared with experimental results.Moreover,the influence of the configurations and thickness distribution of the proposed structures on their energy absorption performance is comprehensively evaluated using finite element simulations.The results demonstrate that the proposed design approach effectively regulates the strain threshold to maintain the SMA within the constraint of maximum recoverable strain,resulting in a structural energy absorption capacity of 362 J/kg with a crushing force efficiency greater than 63%.

Energy absorption characteristics of novel high-strength and hightoughness steels used for rock support

Nowadays,the development of novel metallic materials for rock support have attracted research interests since they can significantly improve the deformation and energy absorption capacities of rock bolts.Although previous studies proved the importance and mechanical advantages of utilizing high-strength and high-toughness(HSHT)steels in rock support,there is no systematic analysis to reveal the essential energy absorption parameter and the guidelines for further development of metallic rock support materials.This paper analyzes the energy absorption characteristics of novel HSHT steels(negative Poisson’s ratio(NPR)and twinning-induced plasticity(TWIP)steels)in comparison with conventional rock support materials.A physically based crystal plasticity(CP)model was set up and calibrated to study the effect of strain hardening rate(SHR).Meanwhile,the roles of underlying physical mechanisms,i.e.the dislocation density and twin volume fraction,were studied.The results show that the improvement of energy absorption density(EAD)is essential for further development of rock support materials,besides the increase of energy absorption rate(EAR)for previous development of conventional rock support materials.The increase of EAD requires increases of both strength and deformation capacity of materials.For HSHT steels,the decrease of SHR has a positive effect on the improvement of EAD.In addition,the increase of EAD is followed by the increase of twin volume fraction and the decrease of plastic Poisson’s ratio which can promote deformation plasticity of materials.Meanwhile,the increase of EAR is correlated with the accumulation of dislocation density,which can increase the strength of materials.This paper provides the theoretical basis and guidelines for developing rock support materials in deep underground engineering and other related fields.

Optimization Design of an Embedded Multi-Cell Thin-Walled Energy Absorption Structures with Local Surface Nanocrystallization

Bymeans of the local surface nanocrystallization that enables to change the material on local positions,an innovative embedded multi-cell(EMC)thin-walled energy absorption structures with local surface nanocrystallization is proposed in this paper.The local surface nanacrystallization stripes are regarded as the moving morphable components in the domain for optimal design.Results reveal that after optimizing the local surface nanocrystallization layout,the specific energy absorption(SEA)is increased by 50.78%compared with the untreated counterpart.Besides,in contrast with the optimized 4-cell structure,the SEA of the nanocrystallized embedded 9-cell structure is further enhanced by 27.68%,in contrast with the 9-cell structure,the SEA of the nanocrystallized embedded clapboard type 9-cell structure is enhanced by 3.61%.Thismethod provides a guidance for the design of newenergy absorption devices.

Energy Absorption Diagrams of Multi-layer Corrugated Boards

Based on the static compression experiments, the compressive stress-strain curve of multi-layer corrugated boards is simplified into three sections of linear elasticity, sub-buckling going with local collapse and densification. By considering the structure factors of multi-layer corrugated boards, the energy absorption model is obtained and characterized by the structure factors of corrugated cell-wall. The model is standardized by the solid modulus and it is universal for corrugated structures of different basis material. In the liner-elastic section, with the increase of the load, the energy absorption per unit volume of multi-layer corrugated boards gradually increases; in the sub-buckling section going with local collapse, the compression resistance of multi-layer corrugated boards goes on under a nearly constant load, but the energy absorption per unit volume rapidly increases with the increase of the compression strain. It is shown as an ascending curve in the energy absorption diagram. In the densification section, the corrugated sandwich core has no energy absorption capability. A good consistency is achieved between theoretical and experimental energy absorption curves. In designing the cushioning package, the cushioning properties can be evaluated by the theoretical model without more experiments. The suggested method to develop the energy absorption diagram for corrugated boards can be used to characterize the cushioning properties and optimize the structures of corrugated sandwich structures.

Compressive and energy absorption properties of closed-cell magnesium foams

The quasi-static compressive mechanical behavior and deformation mechanism of closed-cell magnesium foams were studied, and the ef- fects of the density of magnesium foams on the compressive and energy absorption properties were also discussed. The results show that the compressive process of closed-cell magnesium foams is characterized by three deformation stages： linear elastic stage, collapsing stage and densification stage. At the linear elastic stage, the peak compressive strength （t70） and Young＇s modulus （E0） increase as the density increases Magnesium foams can absorb energy at the collapsing stage. In a certain strain range, the energy absorption capacity also increases as the density of magnesium foams increases.

Deformation mode and energy absorption of polycrystal-inspired square-cell lattice structures

Lattice structures are widely used in many engineering fields due to their excellent mechanical properties such as high specific strength and high specific energy absorption(SEA)capacity.In this paper,square-cell lattice structures with different lattice orientations are investigated in terms of the deformation modes and the energy absorption(EA)performance.Finite element(FE)simulations of in-plane compression are carried out,and the theoretical models from the energy balance principle are developed for calculating the EA of these lattice structures.Satisfactory agreement is achieved between the FE simulation results and the theoretical results.It indicates that the 30◦oriented lattice has the largest EA capacity.Furthermore,inspired by the polycrystal microstructure of metals,novel structures of bi-crystal lattices and quad-crystal lattices are developed through combining multiple singly oriented lattices together.The results of FE simulations of compression indicate that the EA performances of symmetric lattice bi-crystals and quad-crystals are better than those of the identical lattice polycrystal counterparts.This work confirms the feasibility of designing superior energy absorbers with architected meso-structures from the inspiration of metallurgical concepts and microstructures.

Lateral compression and energy absorption of foamed concrete-filled polyethylene circular pipe as yielding layer for high geo-stress soft rock tunnels

Foamed concrete as energy absorption material for high geo-stress soft rock tunnels has been proven to be feasible due to its high compressibility and lightweight.However,the lengthy curing and defoaming problems caused by the cast-in-place method of large-volume foamed concrete remain unsolved.In this study,we propose a novel energy absorber composed of foamed concrete-filled polyethylene(FC-PE)pipe and analyze its deformation and energy absorption capacity via quasi-static lateral compression experiments.Results show that FC-PE pipes exhibit typical three-stage deformation characteristics,comprising the elastic stage,the plastic plateau,and the densification stage.Furthermore,the plateau stress,energy absorption,and specific energy absorption of the specimens are 0.81–1.91 MPa,164–533 J,and 1.4–3.6 J/g,respectively.As the density of the foamed concrete increases,the plateau stress and energy absorption increase significantly.Conversely,the length of the plastic plateau and energy absorption efficiency decrease.Moreover,based on the vertical slice method,progressive compression of core material,and the 6 plastic hinges deformation mechanism of the pipe wall,a theoretical calculation method for effective energy absorption is established and achieves good agreement with experimental results,which is beneficial to the optimization of the composite structure.

Influence of Density on Compressive Properties and Energy Absorption of Foamed Aluminum Alloy

The foamed aluminum alloys with different densities were fabricated by melt foaming technique. The compressive properties and energy absorption of the foamed aluminum alloy with different densities were analyzed. The results reveal that the compressive stress-strain curves follow the typical behavior of cellu- lar foams with three deformation stages. Under the same strain, the energy absorption capability decreases with the decrease of density. However, with increasing the strain, the energy absorption efficiency of foamed metal increases initially and then decreases. The lower the density, the longer the plateau region, within the range of high strain, the energy absorption efficiency is always high.

Energy Absorption Characteristics of Single-walled Carbon Nanotubes

The excellent mechanical properties of carbon nanotubes make them potential candidates for engineering application. In this paper, the impact and failure behaviors of single-walled carbon nanotubes （SWCNTs） are investigated. The effects of diameter, length, and chirality on their energy absorption characteristics under lateral impact and axial crush are studied. By integrating the principle of molecular structural mechanics （MSM） into finite element method （FEM）, the locations and directions of fracture process can be predicted. It is shown that the specific energy absorption （SEA） of SWCNTs is 1-2 order of magnitude higher than that of the ordinary metallic materials and composites in axial impact, indicating that carbon nanotubes are promising energy absorption materials for engineering applications.

ENERGY ABSORPTION CONTROL CHARACTERISTICS OF AL THIN-WALLED TUBES UNDER IMPACT LOAD

An experimental investigation was carried out to study the energy absorption characteristics of thin-walled square tubes subjected to dynamic crushing by impact loading to develop the optimum structural members. Here, the controller is introduced to improve and control the absorbed energy of thin-walled square tubes in this paper. When the controller were used, the experimental results of crushing of square tubes controlled by the controller＇s elements showed a good candidate for a controllable energy absorption capability in impact crushing.

Statistical Model for Impact and Energy Absorption of 3D Printed Coconut Wood-PLA

Fused deposition modeling(FDM)-3D printing has been the favored technology to build functional components in various industries.The present study investigates infill percentage and infill pattern effects on the printed parts’impact properties through the 3D printing technique using coconut wood-filled PLA composites.Mathematical models are also proposed in the present study with the aim for future property prediction.According to the ASTM standard,fifteen specimens with different parameter combinations were printed using a low-cost FDM 3D printer to evaluate their impact properties.Statistical analysis was performed using MINITAB to validate the experimental data and model development.The experimental outcomes reveal the honeycomb pattern with 75%infill density achieves the highest energy absorption(0.837 J)and impact energy(5.1894 kJ/m^(2)).The p-value from statistical analysis clearly shows that all the impact properties are less than the alpha value of 0.05,suggesting all the properties are vital to determine the impact properties.The validation process affirms that the generated mathematical model for the energy absorbed and the impact energy is reliable at an acceptable level to predict their respective properties.The errors between the experimental value and the predicted value are 3.98%for the energy absorbed and 4.06%for impact energy.The findings are expected to provide insights on the impact behavior of the coconut wood-filled PLA composites prepared by FDM-3D printing and a mathematical model to predict the impact properties.

Improvement in Impact Energy Absorption of UD-CFRP by Sub-Micron Glass Fiber into Its Matrix

CFRPs have high strength despite low density, but little impact resistance. In addition, the debonding of the interface between reinforcement fiber and matrix causes one of the fractures of FRPs. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate the interfacial bonding characteristics between the reinforcement fiber and matrix of FRPs, not only under static loading but also under dynamic loading. Moreover, an effective method to improve the impact resistance of FRPs from the viewpoint of interfacial bonding characteristics was proposed. First, two types of UD-FRPs in which the reinforcement fiber was glass fiber or carbon fiber, were prepared to investigate the energy absorption under a bending load. A bending load was applied to the specimen statically and dynamically to measure the energy absorption until failure. The interfacial bonding characteristics between the reinforcement fiber and matrix were measured using a fragmentation method with a single fiber-embedded specimen. A dynamic tensile load was applied to the specimen using a tensile-type split Hopkinson pressure bar apparatus. Test results showed that the energy absorption of UD-CFRP decreased with an increase in strain rate, whereas that of UD-GFRP increased with an increase in strain rate. When the epoxy resin was modified by adding sub-micron glass fiber, both the interfacial shear strength between the carbon fiber and matrix, and the energy absorption of UD-CFRP improved.

Energy absorption behaviors of a novel buffer lander-leg with Yoshimura core

In the current soft-landing system,the lander-leg and the buffer are two independent parts which may cause weight problem.The traditional mechanical buffers also have their own shortcomings such as small buffer stroke and being non-reusable.A Novel Buffer Lander-leg with Yoshimura core (NBLY) is proposed in this paper,inspired by the Buckling Restrained Brace(BRB).The design details of NBLY and parameter definitions of the core are presented.The finite element analysis modes have been employed to analyze the nonlinear mechanical behaviors of NBLY subjected to the cyclic loading.NBLY with four different core styles of hexagon,octagon,dodecagon and hexadecagon are analyzed and compared.The restraining ratio and cumulative dissipation energy ratio have been obtained to evaluate the energy absorption properties.The results show that the origami pattern has significant influences on the deformation ductility,plastic energy absorbing and axial load transferring to the core.The NBLY with octagon core has outstanding properties,especially the hysteretic energy dissipation and enhancement of compression capacity.The interaction mechanism between the core and encasing member constrains the deformation extensions and contributes to the frictional energy dissipation of the NBLYs.This paper provides a new conceptual design of buffer lander-leg for soft-landing missions.It can realize the reuse function as a buffer lander-leg with better loading-bearing and energy absorption behaviors.