Design and study of the crashworthiness of two-way gradient topology star-shaped honeycombs
Shen Xu, Chengming Wang, Huilan Huang, Yuwen Chen, Xiaolin Deng
Abstract
To cope with impacts from multiple directions, many experts have conducted in-depth studies. Inspired by the single-direction gradient topology honeycomb, we have designed a two-way gradient topology star-shaped honeycomb (TWGTSH). This structure significantly improves impact resistance compared to a normal star-shaped honeycomb (SH) and enhances impact resistance in all directions compared to a single-direction gradient topology star-shaped honeycomb (SWGTSH). The crashworthiness of the TWGTSH is analyzed using experimental and numerical simulations. We discuss the effects of wall thickness and gradient coefficients on the crashworthiness of TWGTSH using a validated finite element model, comparing TWGTSH with SH and SWGTSH. The results show that wall thickness and gradient coefficient significantly affect the crashworthiness of TWGTSH. Increasing either parameter can improve the EA and SEA of TWGTSH by about 15%. Compared to SH and SWGTSH, the SEA of TWGTSH is enhanced by 22.56% and 41.65%, respectively. The proposed two-way gradient topology design strategy can improve the ability of cellular structures to withstand impacts from multiple directions, providing a reference for the further development of cellular structures.