Numerical and experimental investigation for enhancing the energy absorption capacity of the novel three-dimensional printed sandwich structures

Abstract

The current study focuses on designing the optimal three-dimensional printed sandwich structures. The main goal is to improve the energy absorption capacity of the out-of-plane honeycomb sandwich beam. The novel Beta VI and Alpha VI were designed in order to achieve this aim. In the Beta VI, the connecting curves (splines) were used instead of the four diagonal walls, while the two vertical walls remained unchanged. The Alpha VI is a step forward on the Beta VI, which was promoted by filleting all angles among the vertical walls, created arcs, and face sheets. The two offered sandwich structures have not hitherto been provided in the literature. All models were designed and simulated by the CATIA and ABAQUS, respectively. The three-dimensional printer fabricated the samples by fused deposition modeling technique. The material properties were determined under tensile, compression, and three-point bending tests. The results are carried out by two methods based on experimental tests and finite element analyses that confirmed each other. The achievements provide novel insights into the determination of the adequate number of unit cells and demonstrate the energy absorption capacity of the Beta VI and Alpha VI are 23.7% and 53.9%, respectively, higher than the out-of-plane honeycomb sandwich structures.