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Recently, auxetic honeycombs have attracted widespread attention with characteristics of lightweight, excellent energy absorption capacity and high shear stiffness. The present paper proposes the hybrid star-shaped tetra-chiral honeycomb (STCH) by embedding the tetra-chiral honeycomb (TCH) into the star-shaped honeycomb (SSH). The deformation mode and compression behavior of the STCH were studied numerically and compared with that of the SSH and TCH. Particularly, under the impact velocity of 2 m/s, the specific energy absorption (SEA) of the STCH increases by 80 and 179% than that of the SSH and TCH, respectively. Through investigating the effect of impact velocity and relative density on the crushing behavior of the STCH, the deformation modes map was summarized, and the empirical formula of the plateau stress was presented. Subsequently, the detailed parameter analysis of the STCH revealed that in a certain range, the SEA and stability of the STCH increase with the increase of N x , θ , and R , and with the decrease of L 2 and L 1. Finally, the improved STCH (ISTCH) with stable deformation and better crashworthiness was further proposed, and the crashworthiness of it was comprehensively compared with other structures. The result shows the excellent crashworthiness of the ISTCH. Particularly, the SEA of ISTCH can be nearly 8 times higher than that of the TCH. The novel star-shaped tetra-chiral honeycomb (STCH) can absorb more energy due to the increase of plastic hinges and the complex coupling deformation. The deformation modes map of the STCH was summarized and the plateau stress was fitted. The change of radius and cell wall angle can greatly change the Poisson's ratio from positive to negative. The STCH and improved STCH have excellent crashworthiness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Honeycomb structures have attracted wide attention due to outstanding mechanical properties as promising light material structures. Inspired by nature and artistic design, various honeycombs with different microstructural configurations have been designed for the sake of better mechanical performances and functions. Here, the Miura-origami reentrant honeycomb (MRH) structure integrating reentrant honeycombs (RH) and Miura-origami structures is investigated systematically. Dynamic impact behaviors of the present MRH structure are investigated numerically. The deformation modes and energy absorption capacity of RH and MRH are compared under different impact velocities, including low-velocity, medium-velocity and high-velocity. The results show that the plateau stress and the specific energy absorption(SEA) of MRH is much higher than RH. Moreover, the parametric study indicates that raising the inclined angle will decrease the plateau stress and the absolute value of Poisson'ratio for MRH structures. The specific energy absorption curves increase as the inclined angle of MRH grows up. In addition, the MRH with smaller dihedral angle can absorb much more impact energy and the variation of absorbed energy is proportional to the cell wall thickness of the MRH structure. This work is expected to provide a new thought for designing advanced energy absorption metastructures and achieving superior mechanical performances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a promising energy absorbing structure, reentrant honeycomb (RH) structures have been focus of interest in recent years. By reasonably adjusting the geometric configuration of the honeycomb cell, advanced structures with unique mechanical properties and deformation behaviors can be designed flexibly and novely. In this work, inspired by the composite laminates, a novel laminated reentrant honeycomb (LRH) structure is developed by controlling the orientations of RH layers for achieving excellent energy absorption capacity. Mechanical and deformation characteristics of the proposed structures under static and dynamic loadings are investigated experimentally and numerically. By comparing with single-layer RH structure with the same thickness, the results demonstrate that LRH structures have better energy absorption capacity. The deformation modes of RH and LRH structures are also discussed and it is noted that the LRH structure with ±30° honeycomb sublayers shows zero Poisson's ratio effect. It is worth emphasizing that LRH with 0° and 90° sublayers presents similar negative Poisson's ratio effect with RH by analyzing the equivalent Poisson's ratio-strain curves. In addition, it is found that the latter structure has the best energy absorption capacity when the thickness of single-layer 0° RH structure equals to 5 mm. This work provides a new and reliable thought to design the advanced protective structures under compression and impact loadings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on a novel multi-arc concave cell, four types of thickness gradient honeycomb structures with positive gradient, negative gradient, symmetric positive gradient, and symmetric negative gradient are constructed by changing cell wall thickness, and the relative density of the structure is deduced. The in-plane impact dynamics of gradient structure are revealed by numerical method. The deformation collapse mode, the dynamic response curve, the energy absorption effect, and the platform stress of different gradient arrangement and impact velocity are analyzed. It is found that gradient arrangement and impact velocity have significant effects on the impact properties of the thickness gradient honeycomb structures. When the impact velocity is low, the structure shows laminar shrinkage deformation, but this phenomenon will gradually disappear with the increase of impact velocity. The results show that the energy absorption capacity of the negative gradient structure is the best under different impact velocities. The platform stress is greatly affected by the impact velocity and less affected by the gradient arrangement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the proposed multi-arc curved edge concave adjustable Poisson's ratio cell, five kinds of sandwich panels with negative Poisson's ratio (NPR) were constructed by changing the in-plane thickness of cells: homogeneous, positive gradient, negative gradient, symmetrical positive gradient, and symmetrical negative gradient. The failure mechanical properties of the sandwich panels under the action of local impact were numerically studied. The influences of impact speed and gradient arrangement modes on the failure mode of the sandwich panels, the punch contact force (PCF) and the energy absorption effect (EAE) were investigated. It is found that the failure behavior of sandwich panels is different under different impact speeds. At the same impact speed, the thickness distribution pattern of the sandwich panel core layer will significantly affect the shock resistance of the panel. The study shows that the EAE of sandwich panels can be effectively enhanced by introducing gradient design method, and the sandwich panels with negative gradient arrangement show the best energy absorption effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the design and performance of axisymmetric hexachiral honeycombs, utilizing the hexachiral honeycomb framework and axisymmetric design method. Four axisymmetric hexachiral honeycombs with distinct arrangements were developed: left–right symmetry hexachiral honeycomb (LSHH), up–down symmetry hexachiral honeycomb (USHH), central symmetry hexachiral honeycomb (CSHH), and subunits symmetry hexachiral honeycomb (SSHH). The deformation patterns and compression behaviors of these honeycombs were comprehensively examined through experimental and numerical simulations, and comparisons were made with a non-symmetric hexachiral honeycomb (NHH). The results indicate that symmetrically designed honeycombs exhibit a larger mean plateau stress than the asymmetrically designed the NHH during low-velocity impacts. The study further discusses deformation patterns, specific energy absorption, and the negative Poisson's ratio effect across the five honeycombs under different parameters. Notably, symmetrically designed honeycombs demonstrate superior specific energy absorption, and the negative Poisson's ratio effect becomes evident at an impact velocity of 10 m/s. However, the advantages of axisymmetric honeycombs diminish at higher impact velocities of 50 m/s and 100 m/s. The Poisson's ratio effects of symmetric honeycombs weaken with an increase in the circular ligament r of the honeycomb. Additionally, the study identifies that platform stress and SEA increase for honeycombs with horizontal cell numbers greater than 6. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lattice structures nowadays have gained a peak in research. Inspired by the honeycomb structure and fishbone, this study investigated lattice structures that can provide auxetic behavior and store maximum energy absorption during deformation mode. From that, the study involved designing and producing different modified lattices based on the honeycomb's structure and the fishbone's perspective. The specimens were 3D printed within fused filament fabrication techniques within the additive manufacturing platform of Euromed University of Fes. The conception, production, mechanical testing, and simulation have been employed to get optimum data analysis of the mechanical properties of the designed structures. The results observed under quasi-dynamic compression did not show significant densification behavior; but, the auxetic behavior was seen in all structures, while some suddenly collapsed. The experimental and numerical analysis demonstrated similar deformation behavior and strong agreement in their respective results. Nevertheless, some discrepancies in mechanical values were observed, with a relative percentage error of approximately 1% for both methods. Consequently, owing to the enhanced energy absorption observed in the V2 and V3 structures, it is evident that these modifications hold promise for optimizing the performance of these metamaterials in various practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To enhance the load‐bearing capacity and energy absorption capacity of the honeycomb, three kinds of star‐rhombus honeycombs (SRHs) are proposed by adding rhombic parts to the traditional star‐shaped honeycomb (TSH). The quasi‐static crushing responses of SRHs, including deformation mechanism, crushing stress, specific energy absorption (SEA), and Poisson's ratio, are studied based on the finite‐element (FE) method. The introduction of rhombic parts increases the number of plastic hinges, resulting in significantly higher crushing stress and SEA of the SRHs than that of the TSH. Among the SRHs, SRH‐A has the largest energy absorption, and the SEA value of SRH‐A is 98.2% higher than TSH. Then, parametric studies including wall thickness, cell wall angle, and spacing length between the vertices of the star‐shaped part and the rhombic part are carried out. The wall thickness and cell wall angle have the greatest influence on the crushing response of SRHs. Crushing stress and Poisson's ratio of SRHs can be adjusted by changing the wall thickness of the rhombic part. The configurations and geometric parameters of the rhombic part determine the Poisson's ratio of SRHs. This study provides effective guidance for designing star‐shaped honeycombs with enhanced load‐bearing capacity and energy absorption capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an alternative to the conventional concave hexagonal honeycomb structure (CHHS), a negative Poisson's ratio honeycomb structure with power function curve (NHPC) was devised. The relationship between the power function exponent (PFE) and normalized power function coefficient (NPFC) of honeycomb structure and its equivalent Poisson's ratio (EPR) was explored to identify the range of variables required for the negative Poisson's ratio effect. To investigate the in-plane mechanical properties and energy absorption characteristics of NHPC, the deformation mode, dynamic response, and energy absorption characteristics under various impact velocities were studied by constructing an in-plane impact simulation model. The results showed that NHPC obviously exhibited a negative Poisson's ratio effect on medium and low impact velocities, and the deformation was primarily uniform. As the NPFC increased, the honeycomb structure was less prone to stress concentration, while the peak crushing force (PCF) and the specific energy absorption (SEA) declined and the plateau stress increased. A multi-objective optimization experiment was operated with low PCF and high SEA as the targets within the range of design variables in order to generate the optimal NHPC. According to the experimental findings, the improved NHPC showed a 25.48 % reduction in PCF and a 19.29 % increase in SEA. This paper provides theoretical recommendations for improving the energy absorption and structural optimization of the honeycomb structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By utilizing 3D printing technology, experimental three-point bending (TPB) tests, and finite element analysis, six honeycomb structures with a variety of overall Poisson's ratios (PR) are studied and compared in terms of bending properties and failure mechanisms. Four novel honeycombs that are designed by hybridizing hexagonal and re-entrant units outperform benchmark conventional honeycombs in terms of load-carrying capacity. Architected hybrid geometry honeycombs with zero PR show excellent specific energy absorption capability in comparison to benchmark honeycombs, absorbing approximately 136.9% and 475.1% more energy under TPB. 3D-printed honeycombs consisting of hexagonal units face layer separation damage mode under bending, while honeycombs with re-entrant cells in their lattice fail with joint shear due to the angle of their struts towards loadings. Designing honeycombs with a hybrid geometry lattice can enhance the load-carrying capacity, specific energy absorption, flexibility, and flexural modulus of the structure under bending. Due to their superior performance, the proposed architected hybrid geometry honeycombs with various Poisson's ratios own promising applications in automotive, protective, and construction industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study proposes to investigate the crushing performance of auxetic honeycombs by combining liquid and solid phase materials in one structure. The multiphase structures were produced by injecting a liquid Gallium metal into the hierarchical voids of the proposed metamaterials and tested at different temperatures (22 and 35 0C), where the melting temperature of Gallium metal is 29.4 0C. The deformation mechanism, compressive strength, absorbed energy, and Poisson's ratio (PR) of the samples was compared at different strains and at different temperatures. Results show that multi-material samples with Gallium metal lead to a progressive deformation mechanism and stabilize the fracture mechanism; however, they only exhibit larger compressive strength in a few cases. In addition, the effects of the phase change of Gallium from solid to liquid when the temperature increase from 22 0C to 35 0C stand out in the percent change of mechanical response. Overall, the presented samples in this work can be recommended to manipulate the collapse mechanism with a multi-material approach of liquid and solid constituents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The innovative design of microstructure topology is of great significance to improve the energy absorption performance of honeycombs. In this paper, by embedding a hexagonal substructure in each inclined wall of the traditional reentrant (RE) honeycomb, a novel auxetic honeycomb, called reentrant combined-wall (RCW) honeycomb, is developed for improving energy absorption. Combining the experimental methods, numerical simulations, and analytical analyses, we systematically studied the in-plane quasi-static behaviors of the proposed honeycomb structure. It can be found that the deformation of the RCW honeycomb has a transitional stage, which makes a significant stress enhancement. During the crushing process, the Poisson's ratio of the RCW honeycomb keeps negative and is lower than that of the RE honeycomb. Besides, numerical and analytical analyses show that the stress-strain response of the RCW honeycomb has a good designability. Further, the analysis of specific energy absorption (SEA) is also performed, in which the RCW honeycomb shows a significant superiority over the RE honeycomb, with the SEA value almost twice that of the latter. Therefore, it can be concluded that the proposed novel structure has tangible improvements in the crushing strength, auxetic performance, and energy absorption, which deserves more attention in future work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Foam-filled honeycombs have been widely applied due to their excellent load transfer mitigation and energy absorption capacity. In the present study, a layered graded foam concrete-filled auxetic honeycomb was proposed by tuning its overall compression deformation mode to layer-by-layer deformation mode to realize multi-level structural protection. The effect of the honeycomb cell-wall thickness gradient (with an average thickness of 0.25 mm, thickness gradients of 0.30:0.25:0.20, 0.35:0.25:0.15 and 0.40:0.25:0.10, and corresponding positive gradients) and the foam concrete filler density gradient (408:575:848, 848:575:408) on the response mode, load transfer, energy absorption, and Poisson's ratio of the proposed composite was systematically investigated. The results showed that the graded composite exhibited an obvious layered deformation mode and a negative Poisson's ratio effect under relatively low and moderate loading rates (1 m/s, 10 m/s, respectively), especially with the foam concrete density gradient. Under a high loading rate (100 m/s), the graded composite demonstrated progressive collapse initiating from the loading end with a layer-by-layer crushing mode, regardless of the thickness and density gradient. In the response of the composite with a 0.2:0.2:0.2 thickness ratio and a 408:575:848 foam concrete gradient subjected to 1 m/s crushing, the first-layer, second-layer, and third-layer foam concrete absorbed 94.62%, 88.72%, and 86.94% of the total foam concrete energy absorption in the corresponding crushing stage, respectively. Compared with the counterpart homogeneous composites, although the graded composite had an insignificant improvement on energy absorption (less than 5%), it was able to significantly reduce the peak load (as high as 30%) to mitigate the load transfer to the protected structure. The effective Poisson's ratio of the first layer in the composite with positive gradient (408:575:848) increased to −2 then converged to −0.6 under 2 m/s and 10 m/s crushing, and ranged from −0.4 to −0.1 under 50 m/s and 100 m/s crushing, respectively. The effective Poisson's ratio of the middle and bottom layers increased to −2 initially and converged to range −0.4 to −0.1, regardless of the crushing speed. The staged response mode of the graded composite facilitated the realization of multi-level structure protection with significantly reduced peak load transferred to the protected structure and tuned energy absorption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, it was aimed to experimentally compare the mechanical properties of the traditional honeycomb structure, which is one of the cellular structures with its own specific area of use with its features such as lightness and load absorption, and the new generation re-entrant, chiral and hybrid structure (re-entrant + honeycomb) with negative Poisson behavior. In this context, standard test samples with honeycomb, reentrant, chiral and hybrid structures were produced with fused deposition modelling (FDM) under optimum conditions by using PLA material and different geometric parameters. Tensile and compression tests, hardness tests and surface roughness measurements were carried out with the specimens that were additively manufactured. According to the results, it was determined that the direction of the unit cells in the cellular structure and the rib thickness affect the energy absorption properties of the cellular structures. While the tensile and compressive strengths of the cellular structures increased with increasing rib thickness, the average Ra value and hardness value were measured as 14 μm and 75 Shore D respectively. Although negative Poisson ratio was observed depending on the amount of deformation in re-entrant, chiral and hybrid structures, positive Poisson behavior was observed in honeycomb structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Auxetic metamaterials possess superior properties and have drawn extensive attention in the past decades. Herein, two curved ribs are added to the conventional re‐entrant (CRE) honeycomb structure to form a modified auxetic re‐entrant (MRE) honeycomb structure for improving the energy absorption capacity of the structure. In‐plane quasi‐static compression response of the honeycomb in large deformation is numerically explored first. Then, quasi‐static compression test is conducted to verify the validity of the numerical simulation. Both experimental and numerical simulation results reveal that during the quasi‐static compression process, two plateau stresses occur in the load–displacement curves of the structure, and the second plateau stress is much higher than the first one. The occurrence time of the second plateau stress can be controlled by the distance between the concave curved ribs in the structure. The experimental results are in good agreement with the finite element analysis results. Due to their desirable mechanical properties, the MRE honeycomb structures have great potential for applications in civil engineering, vehicle crashworthiness, and protective infrastructure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A novel bi-material multistable auxetic honeycomb (BMAH) with reusable and enhanced energy-absorbing phases was designed. • The crushing stress–strain curve shows three stress plateaus, and BMAH maintains a stable Poisson's ratio even at high strain levels, transitioning from near-zero to negative and then to positive. • Under the selected material combination, the second stress plateau is 8 times greater than the first, and the third stress plateau is 17 times greater than the first, significantly improving energy absorption efficiency. • A theoretical model was established to reveal the deformation mechanism of BMAH and predict the plateau stresses and strain range for each deformation stage. • Effects of geometrical parameters and crushing velocity on BMAH stress plateaus and Poisson's ratio were investigated, and a programmable guide for designing stress plateaus and specific energy absorption is presented. The ideal energy absorption structures, in addition to possessing reusability and high energy absorption efficiency, should also possess multiple desired properties to fulfill various functional applications. In this study, a bi-material multistable auxetic honeycomb (BMAH) is fabricated by using bi-material 3D printing technology. Under in-plane crushing, multiple stress plateaus can be achieved and the Poisson's ratio can be stably tuned, allowing for a transition from near-zero to negative and then to positive. The above characteristics are attributed to the specimen's multi-path deformation. The first stress plateau is only associated with recoverable elastic deformation. The second and third stress plateaus, which are 8 times and 17 times higher respectively than the first, are associated with plastic deformation, significantly enhancing energy absorption efficiency. The deformation mechanism is theoretically analyzed, and the effects of geometric parameters on the performance of BMAH are investigated. In addition, the effect of crushing velocity on the crushing behavior of the BMAH is also discussed. As the crushing velocity increases, the total number of stress plateaus transitions from three initially to two and then to one. The developed BMAH exhibits significant potential applications in multi-stage energy absorbers and smart sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metastructures are extensively used in aerospace engineering. In the present work, a high-strength structure was designed based on a reentrant hexagonal honeycomb (RHH) by topology optimization. To generate a negative Poisson's ratio (NPR) effect, topologically optimized cells were alternately arranged with RHH cells to obtain a hybrid hexagonal honeycomb (HHH). In comparison with other NPR structures, this structure had superior energy absorption characteristics. In addition, the mechanical properties and deformation behavior of this structure were analyzed. Finally, single, double, and triple functional gradients were introduced into the HHH. It was found that the introduction of functional gradients improved the energy absorption capacity of the structure, and that the energy absorption capacity increased with the increase in the number of functional gradients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The proposed auxetic honeycomb possesses more excellent auxetic behavior and specific energy absorption than the conventional honeycomb. • The interaction between the structural parameters is analyzed. • The multi-objective optimization of the enhanced auxetic honeycomb (EAH) was investigated. • The theoretical model and Box-Behnken Design model were used to predict the mechanical properties of EAH. In response to the challenge of low stiffness and energy absorption capacity, various designs of negative Poisson's ratio (NPR) structures have emerged. However, these designs often lack a comprehensive analysis of other mechanical properties, leading to subpar mechanical performance. Previous studies have explored the mechanical properties response of enhanced re-entrant honeycombs (ERH) under impact conditions, revealing limitations in optimizing the structure's performance with a single objective. Therefore, this study aims to enhance ERH structural parameters to achieve superior mechanical performance through theoretical derivations and geometric optimizations. The results demonstrate that the proposed theoretical model is consistent with finite element analysis and response surface (RS) predictions. Expressions for Young's modulus, specific energy absorption, and compressive strength are proposed, facilitating the identification of structural parameters that meet specific requirements during reverse design. Furthermore, a multi-objective optimization approach optimizes the geometric parameters based on maximum energy absorption and compressive strength. The mechanical behavior of the optimized ERH is investigated using the finite element method, revealing the energy absorption capacity of 13.78 J/g while maintaining Poisson's ratio at -1.06. Additionally, the deformation mode of the optimized structure showcases enhanced stability compared to traditional honeycomb structures. The theoretical model and RS method were used to guide the design of ERH and promote the application of NPR structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A cost-effective fabrication method is proposed. • More pronounced NPR effects can be attained by implemented misplaced design. • The comparative method of specific plateau stress is proposed. • The optimized MRHC structure possesses an excellent energy absorption performance. Two-stage plateau stress structures have emerged as a novel research focus in the field of impact protection and energy absorption. The proposal of structures exhibiting a two-stage plateau stress region is increasingly prevalent. However, the majority of currently available two-stage plateau stress structures are predominantly fabricated using 3D printing technology, which can incur substantial costs. Additionally, the majority of currently proposed two-stage plateau stress structures exhibit diminished plateau stress values and possess limited capabilities for energy absorption. The objective of this study is to develop an economically viable metamaterial that exhibits dual high-level plateau stresses and demonstrates exceptional energy absorption capabilities in two in-plane directions. Based on the concept of misplaced design and traditional reinforced honeycomb structures (RHC), a novel metamaterial named misplaced reinforced-honeycomb (MRHC) has been developed. Aluminum alloy component and stainless stee component are fabricated. After the implementation of the misplaced design, the MRHC structure exhibits a pronounced enhancement in negative Poisson's ratio effect. The influence of misplaced design on the mechanical performance of the MRHC structure, as well as the impact of horizontal cell wall length (l 3) and rotation angles (α and β), has been investigated. The multi-objective optimization has been employed to determine the optimal rotation angles α and β. The optimized MRHC structure was compared to the previously proposed two-stage plateau stress structures, revealing its superior energy absorption capabilities in both the in-plane X and Y directions. The proposed MRHC structure exhibits promising potential for future applications in impact buffering and collision protection fields. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, origami honeycomb metamaterials have garnered extensive attention from researchers. Re-entrant origami honeycomb metamaterials exhibit excellent mechanical performances by virtue of lightweight, high-energy-absorbing characteristics and diverse configurations. In this study, the gradient re-entrant origami honeycomb metamaterials are designed by changing significant geometric parameters. To investigate the effects of geometric parameters variations on compressive behaviors, the theoretical analysis model of the re-entrant origami honeycomb is built to predict the compression stress under low-velocity and high-velocity impact. Subsequently, the energy absorption of the uniform re-entrant origami honeycomb (UROH), the gradient-thickness re-entrant origami honeycombs (GTROHs) and the gradient-angle re-entrant origami honeycomb (GAROHs)are investigated under different compression velocities. The impact resistances of UROH, GTROHs and GAROHs are discussed systematically. By adjusting the gradient distribution of thickness, the deformation modes and Poisson's ratio curves of the structure could be altered. Furthermore, under the high-velocity impact, the specific energy absorption (SEA) of the unidirectionally negative GTROH is increased by 36% than that of UROH at the strain of 0.29. The SEA of the unidirectionally positive GTROH is higher by 14.4% than that of UROH at the strain of 0.8. In addition, the unidirectionally positive GTROH exhibits better impact resistance performance than UROH by comparing the peak stress and SEA value under different compression velocities. This study is expected to provide the new route for designing advanced origami-inspired honeycomb structures and improving buffer protection devices. • Gradient re-entrant origami honeycombs are proposed by varying significant parameter of cells. • An analytical model is established to estimate the plateau stress of the present structure. • Deformation modes and energy absorption of gradient origami honeycombs are investigated. • The crashworthiness of uniform and gradient re-entrant origami honeycombs are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A star-shaped honeycomb with asymmetric cells is proposed in this paper. The accuracy of the finite element model is verified by experiments, and the mechanical characteristics and deformation modes of the honeycomb are studied by numerical simulation. First, the energy absorption and deformation modes of a star-shaped honeycomb with asymmetric cells were studied under low-, medium- and high-velocity impacts. Second, the influence of different angles and different wall thicknesses on the energy absorption of honeycomb was studied. The results show that model 3 exhibits obvious negative Poisson's ratio characteristics under different impact velocities. As the angle increases, the energy absorption and plateau stress of mode 1 also increase. However, for mode 3, increasing θ can enhance the negative Poisson's ratio, but the specific energy absorption and plateau stress of the structure will decrease. Compared with the traditional star-shaped honeycomb, θ = 50° for mode 1, the specific energy absorption and plateau stress are increased by 21.53% and 13.32%, respectively. With increasing wall thickness, the specific energy absorption and plateau stress were significantly increased. Compared with mode 1 with t = 0.5 mm and mode 1 with t = 0.75 mm, the specific energy absorption and plateau stress increased by 50.51% and 125.56%, respectively. • A star-shaped honeycomb with asymmetric cells (SSHAC) is proposed. • The SSHAC is designed in an axisymmetric manner, with six structures designed in different extension directions. • Compared with traditional star-shaped honeycomb, SSHAC has a more stable deformation mode. • SSHAC provides a certain reference for cells designed with asymmetric elements in symmetrical form. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Auxetic structures, which have a negative Poisson's ratio, have good mechanical energy/impact absorption properties. These structures have found application in sandwich composites in the aerospace and defence industries, in the production of armour or protective sports equipment. In this study, the mechanical behaviour of the auxetic honeycomb structure in different directions (in-plane and out-of-plane) under impact loading was investigated. For the in-plane (x and y) and out-of-plane (z) directions, boxes with an auxetic honeycomb structure were produced by material extrusion method using Power ABS filament. In the experimental study, dynamic tests were carried out with a drop test machine. Besides, explicit analyses were performed by creating finite element models for these 3 directions. The experimental and numerical results have shown that the energy absorption property of auxetic honeycomb geometry is superior in the case of out-of-plane loading, in agreement with each other. In in-plane loadings, crush force efficiency (CFE) and crush forces were lower. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study proposed a design method of honeycomb structure based on triply periodic minimal surfaces (TPMS), namely gyroid-honeycomb. The honeycomb samples were fabricated by selective laser melting (SLM) with Ti6Al4V (TC4) material. Through the uniaxial quasi-static compression tests and numerical simulations, the mechanical responses and energy absorption capability of honeycomb structures under different compressive velocities were investigated. Compared with conventional truss-honeycomb structure, the gyroid-honeycomb exhibited reduced stress fluctuation and enhanced energy absorption capability under in-plane compressive direction. Particularly, gyroid-honeycomb also demonstrated a superior energy absorption capability under both low and high compressive velocities. According to the scanning electron micrograph (SEM) image of the fracture surface, the gyroid-honeycomb exhibited a unique buckling failure mode along with a large plastic deformation and negative Poisson's ratio. The different compressive responses can be attributed to the distinct stress distribution in gyroid-honeycomb according to the simulation results. Notably, the gyroid-honeycomb structure displayed a remarkable capacity for energy absorption across various compressive velocities. These findings provide valuable insights into the application of the novel TPMS-based honeycomb structures in enhancing the crashworthiness protection for vehicles. [Display omitted] • The design method of Gyroid-honeycomb is proposed based on implicit functions of minimum surface. • Gyroid-honeycomb structure exhibits less stress fluctuation during uniaxial compression. • Deformation mechanism of negative Poisson's ratio is observed in gyroid-honeycomb. • The energy absorption capability of gyroid-honeycomb is enhanced under low and high compressive velocities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, auxetic metamaterials have turned into an area of growing interest, because of their deformation uniqueness, design flexibility, and functional diversity. To achieve their programmable design of densification and energy absorption, the variable stiffness factor method (VSF) emerged. However, the energy absorption capacity of the metamaterials designed by this method has a significant reduction. In this work, to remedy this defect, several different lightweight specimens are proposed and fabricated to extend the stage of energy absorption and retain the tunability. Then quasi-static compression tests and finite element methods are carried out to analyze the mechanical properties of the designed boundary-constrained structure (BCS) and X-shape constrained structure (XCS). The accuracy of the densification points and energy absorption capacity of the two structures at different VSF values are also studied. The results show that the densification points of the designed structures can be adjusted quantitatively, and their deformation modes are more stable than conventional structures during compression. Furthermore, their specific energy absorption is four and five times higher than that of non-lightweight structures with VSF = 40%, respectively. These findings contribute to advancing the implementation of auxetics in applications of multistage protective structures. • A lightweight metamaterial based on the variable stiffness factor (VSF) method is proposed. • The proposed structures realize multi-level energy absorption and stable deformation. • The SEA of proposed structures was 4 and 5 times higher than that of VSF = 40% structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Three novel lattices by inserting honeycomb struts into the traditional 3D auxetic structure were proposed. • The tensile and compressive mechanical behaviours of hybrid lattices were studied and compared. • 3D hybrid lattices are more effective in tension-dominated applications. Lattice structures have the potential for application in tensile conditions. However, limited studies have addressed tensile behaviours of such structures and compared them with their compressive behaviours. In this paper, re-entrant structure as the foundation was selected to develop new 3D hybrid auxetic honeycomb lattice structures, each characterized by a unique unit cell configuration that features interconnected centre auxetic honeycomb, differentiating it from 2D hybrid auxetic honeycomb structures. A series of uniaxial quasi-static tensile and compressive tests, followed by simulations were conducted on these structures to investigate and compare their energy absorption characteristics. The results show that there were significant differences between these structures in terms of their mechanical behaviours under tension and compression. Especially, the smallest value of energy absorption under tensile load was 86% higher than the largest value under compressive load. The stiffnesses of these lattice structures under tensile loading were about 84–122 times of those of the identical corresponding structures when they were compressed. Meanwhile, the progressive stretching, buckling and collapse mechanisms observed in these structures exhibited excellent stiffnesses and energy absorptions under tensile and compressive load compared to traditional 3D auxetic as the basic structure. The outer frame structure of lattice structures had a direct influence on Poisson's ratio. The work indicates that the stiffness and energy absorption of the traditional 3D auxetic structure can be enhanced by embedding auxetic and honeycomb umbrella shaped elements. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A novel EARE is designed by introducing an elliptical annular into RE cell. • EARE produces extra vertical support without hindering lateral deformation. • EARE concurrently enhances auxetic performance, stiffness, and SEA. • Adjusting geometric parameters rationalizes designing mechanical properties. Auxetic structures have sparked a lot of interest due to their excellent mechanical characteristics and unusual negative Poisson's ratio influence. However, the large porosity property results in low stiffness, which limits their application scope. Current approaches to augment stiffness often result in diminished auxetic performance. Therefore, it is challenging to simultaneously enhance the auxetic, stiffness and energy absorption capacity of auxetic structures. To address this issue, this paper proposes a novel elliptical annular re-entrant honeycomb (EARE) by introducing an elliptical annular structure into a conventional re-entrant honeycomb (RE) cell, which can provide extra longitudinal support without hindering lateral deformation. The plateau stress, Poisson's ratio and energy absorption properties of the EARE are investigated by quasi-static compressive tests and finite element modeling. The results show that the EARE honeycomb has two plateau stages due to the supporting effect of the elliptical annular structure. Compared with the conventional RE honeycomb with the same wall thickness, the EARE honeycomb not only exhibits a stronger auxetic effect embodied in the Poisson's ratio reduced by 5.19%, but also has a higher average plateau stress and a higher specific energy absorption of 171.63% and 28.03%, respectively, which significantly improves the stiffness and energy absorption performance. The parameterized analysis reveals that by appropriately adjusting the geometric parameters, the stiffness, energy absorption, and auxetic effect of the EARE honeycomb can be enhanced. The research findings address the conflict between auxetic performance and honeycomb stiffness, providing new insights into the optimization of honeycomb structure design. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A novel re-entrant double-arrow auxetic honeycomb was proposed. • Three typical deformation modes under different impact velocities were revealed. • Theoretical models of single-plateau and double-plateau stresses were established. • The effects of impact velocity and geometric parameters were explored. A novel re-entrant double-arrow honeycomb (RDAH) has been proposed and investigated by combining re-entrant hexagonal honeycomb and double-arrow honeycomb. Quasi-static compression experiments of 3D printed samples in different loading directions were carried out. Deformation modes and stress–strain response have been explored and identified. The corresponding finite element (FE) models were established and verified, and the dynamic crushing behaviors of RDAH were further investigated by FE simulations. The results show that RDAH has three typical deformation modes under different impact velocities. When subjected to quasi-static loading and low-velocity impact along the horizontal wall, two stress plateau regions of the stress–strain curves can be observed, while there is only one stress plateau when loaded perpendicular to the horizontal wall. Based on deformation modes, theoretical models of plateau stresses of RDAH under low-velocity and high-velocity impact were further established. The theoretical results of the plateau stresses agree well with the FE simulation results. The effects of impact velocity and geometric parameters on densification strain, Poisson's ratio and energy absorption were also discussed. The results show that the RDAH exhibits obvious negative Poisson's ratio effect in both directions. The energy absorption of RDAH is higher when loaded along the horizontal wall and can be 29.45 % higher than the traditional RH structure. The energy absorption of RDAH increases with the decrease of inclined wall l 1 , the decrease of inclined angle θ (perpendicular the horizontal wall), and the increase of inclined angle θ (along the horizontal wall). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The response and energy absorption of novel sandwich beams with combined re-entrant double-arrow auxetic honeycomb (RDAH) cores subjected to three-point bending were studied experimentally and numerically. Two typical sandwich beams loaded at different loading positions were considered. Quasi-static three-point bending experiments were conducted to obtain the failure modes and force–displacement curves. The reliable numerical simulation models were further established based on experimental validations. The results indicate that when the loading roller is located directly above the re-entrant cell, the RDAH core sandwich beam has better load-carrying and energy absorption capacity. Subsequently, the influence of face sheet distribution, cell-wall thickness, impact velocity and cell configuration on the structural response were explored. For the sandwich beams with same total mass, the arrangement where the thickness of the front face sheet is larger than that of the back face sheet is beneficial for improving the load-carrying and energy absorption capacity. In addition, the cell-wall thickness has an influence on the local deformation mode of the sandwich beam, and increasing its value can produce more stable deformation and improve the load-carrying capacity. Increasing impact velocity has a significant influence on the initial deformation but little influence on the final deformation of the sandwich beams. As the impact velocity increases, the total energy absorption of the sandwich beam gradually increases, and the negative Poisson's ratio characteristic of the core still exists. Compared to the traditional re-entrant honeycomb (RH) core sandwich beams, RDAH core sandwich beams have better energy absorption capacity and bending resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A novel series of re-entrant honeycombs (REHs) is proposed. • A negative Poisson's ratio effect is observed in the new REH. • The nominal stress-strain curves of the new REH were analyzed. • These new REHs have superior energy absorption capabilities. In this paper, different polygonal structures are employed to improve the inclined cell walls of the well-known re-entrant honeycomb (REH) to obtain a series of novel REHs to proposed enhancement energy absorption capacity. The energy absorption effect and platform stress of this series of novel REHs and classical REHs were compared by quasi-static experiments. A significant negative Poisson's ratio effect was observed in all the new honeycombs. The crushing behaviors of these honeycombs under different crushing velocities were further simulated using the finite element (FE) software ABAQUS/Explicit. Both experimental and numerical results show that this series of novel REHs constructed herein have stronger crushing strength and energy absorption capacity compared to the original REH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Novel REAT honeycomb structure derived from bio-inspired gradient-based distribution. • Extensive experiments were conducted to decipher different stages of compression and mechanical properties. • Discovery of a new driver for deformation based on the difference in negative poisson's ratio between layers. • Uncovered 80% higher elastic stiffness and 20% larger densification strain for Chiral-based gradient distribution than its conventional counterpart. • Early-stage compression demonstrated 60% more plateau stress and constant 25% higher energy absorption efficiency. This study focuses on the nature-inspired gradient-based approach to re-designing re-entrant anti-trichiral (REAT) honeycombs through extensive experimental quasi-static compression. Novel perspectives on REAT honeycomb are offered through the introduction of gradient distributions on two critical geometrical parameters, the cylindrical diameter (chiral) and height of the unit cell, rather than the traditional thickness-based gradient approach. Chiral-based gradient approach demonstrated clear advantages in elastic stiffness, specific energy absorption (SEA) and densification strain over uniform REAT structures of constant geometrical parameters. These advantages are exhibited in their extended and constantly increasing quasi-plateau stage, consistent specific energy absorption (SEA) especially during early stages of compression, and most importantly, the ability to maintain a relatively constant energy absorption efficiency that is 25% more than that of the Base uniform REAT structure. Height gradient-based REAT structures, on the other hand, were able to leverage on associations between the negative Poisson's ratio (NPR) effect and height of unit cell to demonstrate notable deformation patterns across various portions of the structure. The present work reveals the performance enhancements through alternative gradient-based approaches over thickness-based gradient approaches and highlighted the differences in NPR between layers as the main driver of compressive collapse apart from the commonly concluded difference in relative density. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Negative Poisson's ratio honeycombs have been widely studied in recent years due to their unique mechanical properties. A tetrachiral honeycomb (TCH) exhibits a bulging effect when subjected to in-plane impact, reducing its Poisson's ratio effect. To improve the performance of TCH, this study proposes two types of axisymmetric tetrachiral honeycombs (ATCH-1 and ATCH-2). First, the in-plane impact performances of TCH, ATCH-1, and ATCH-2 are compared via experiments, and the accuracy of the finite element model is validated. Then, the effects of the different parameters on the deformation modes, energy absorption characteristics, and negative Poisson's ratio effects of the three types of honeycombs are analyzed via finite element models. ATCH-1 and ATCH-2 have higher specific energy absorption (SEA) and a more significant negative Poisson's ratio effect than TCH at an impact velocity of 10 m/s. However, the axisymmetric honeycombs do not have advantages at impact velocities of 50 m/s and 100 m/s. The cylindrical radius r significantly affects the deformation mode of the three types of honeycombs. The axisymmetric design provides a new concept for the novel negative Poisson's ratio honeycomb design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The dynamic response of cylindrical sandwich panels with aluminum foam core, hexagonal honeycomb core, and auxetic honeycomb core are compared numerically. A novel curved auxetic honeycomb core is designed, and the finite element models are built by employing ABAQUS–Explicit. To calibrate the numerical models, the experiments of sandwich panels with honeycomb core and aluminum foam cores are modeled. And the numerical results have a good agreement with the experiment date. The calibrated numerical models are used to simulate the dynamic response of cylindrical panels subject to external blast loadings. It is found that the cylindrical panels with auxetic honeycomb cores have a better performance than that with aluminum foam cores and hexagonal honeycomb cores in resisting blast loadings. A material concentration effect was observed in the auxetic honeycomb core due to the negative Poisson's ratio (NPR) effect. According to parameter studies, it is concluded that with the increase of curvature and face sheet thickness the blast-resistance of panels with both auxetic honeycomb core, hexagonal honeycomb core, and foam cores increased obviously, especially the panels with auxetic honeycomb cores. For the panels with auxetic honeycomb cores, increasing the back face sheet thickness can improve the blast-resistance performance more efficiently than increasing the thickness of front face sheet, which is opposite for the panels with foam cores and hexagonal honeycomb cores. Auxetic cores with a smaller unit cell aspect ratio and a smaller unit cell length ratio has a larger Poisson's ratio, and achieves better blast resistance performance. These simulation findings can guide well the theoretical study and optimal design of cylindrical sandwich structures subject to external blast loading. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A bio-inspired "photonic micropillar pattern" (PMP) honeycomb is proposed for enegy absorption. • The PMP honeycomb has remarkable mechanical robustness with crashworthiness indicators comprehensively improved. • The SEA of the PMP honeycomb is significantly increased by 70% compared with that of the conventional hexagonal honeycomb. • The PMP honeycomb has a self-constrained mechanism to achieve a layer-by-layer collapse mode with Poisson's ratio close to zero. • The PMP honeycomb has a self-adaptability for impact valocities to achieve more stable deformation mode. Beetle's elytra provide elaborate microstructural designs to achieve functional synergies in face of external environments. Natural design strategies can provide effective solutions to the long-standing challenges about how to design an energy absorbing structure with comprehensively improved mechanical properties. Inspired by the pattern of the micropillars distributed in photonic structures of beetle's elytra, this paper proposes a bio-inspired "photonic micropillar pattern" (PMP) honeycomb with robust crashworthiness, self-constrain, self-adaptability, and enhanced energy absorption capacity as an alternative material to the conventional single hexagonal-celled (SHC) honeycomb. The computational and experimental results both show that all in-plane crashworthiness indicators of the PMP honeycomb have been significantly improved compared with that of the SHC honeycomb. Subsequently, the collapse and energy absorption mechanisms of the PMP honeycomb are revealed by the analytical model established in this study. Based on numerical simulations and precisely theoretical predictions, the effects of the relative density, cell wall angle, impact velocity and thickness distribution on the in-plane crashworthiness performance of the PMP honeycomb are analyzed and discussed. This study creates a possibility for future excavation of advanced energy-absorbing structures with multifunctional synergies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A new auxetic honeycomb was designed by hybriding rhombic and star configurations. • A theoretical model was developed to predict the elastic modulus and Poisson's ratio. • The proposed honeycomb possesses higher auxetic effect and larger specific modulus than the star honeycomb. • The proposed honeycomb exhibits enhanced plateau stress and specific energy absorption compared with conventional auxetic honeycombs. Auxetic structures with negative Poisson's ratio exhibit excellent performance in cushioning, shear resistance and energy absorption, but their load-bearing capacity is usually poor. To address this drawback of the conventional Auxetic structure, a star-rhombic honeycomb (SRH) design is proposed in this paper to improve its load-bearing capacity. Analytical models of the elastic modulus and Poisson's ratio of this structure for different loading directions are developed. Quasi-static compression experiments were conducted on SRH specimens fabricated by selective laser melting (SLM) technique. Good agreement was achieved between the simulated and experimental stress response curves and deformation patterns. It was found that the SRH structure possessed better elastic modulus and energy absorption capacity than the SH structure without sacrificing the auxetic properties. The elastic modulus and Poisson's ratio of SRH under the x loading direction are more sensitive to the changes of structural parameters. An optimum energy absorption performance is achieved for an appropriate ratio of the inner rhombic strut thickness to outer reentrant strut thickness (k = 0.5). The specific energy absorption of SRH is improved by 136% and 75% compared to that of the conventional reentrant honeycomb (RH) and star honeycomb (SH), respectively. It has advantages for application scenarios with requirements for both auxetic and load bearing properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigated the quasi-static compressive performances and failure behaviors of composite auxetic re-entrant honeycomb sandwich structure. Three types of auxetic re-entrant honeycomb structures with different gradient configurations were manufactured and tested. The carbon/epoxy prepreg was used to fabricated the auxetic re-entrant honeycomb sandwich structure. The reaction force and displacement of the test fixture were collected by the transducer of the universal testing machine. The compressive processes of specimens were recorded by high-resolution camera. Combined with the stress–strain curves and deformation processes of composite structures, the compressive responses and deformation mechanisms was analyzed. The Poisson's ratio, energy efficiency and plateau stress of re-entrant honeycomb sandwich structures were defined and utilized to study the auxetic performance and energy absorption ability. Furthermore, a high-fidelity numerical model was established and finite element software ABAQUS was used to analyzed the compressive performances and failure behaviors of composite graded auxetic re-entrant honeycomb structure. The compressive failure modes of the numerical simulation results were compared with that of the experimental results, and the numerical simulation results agreed well with the experimental results. The results indicated that average structure exhibited best energy absorption performance and bidirectionally graded auxetic honeycomb structure had the best negative Poisson's ratio performance. • The composite re-entrant honeycomb structures were fabricated by hot-press molding technique. • A series of composite re-entrant honeycomb structures were studied. • The deformation and failure modes were revealed and analyzed. • The Poisson's ratio, energy absorption and plateau stress were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes novel re-entrant honeycombs (NREH), which are designed as the support ribs of the re-entrant honeycomb subunit in an asymmetrical form to further improve its mechanical properties. First, three types of NREH composed of asymmetric subunits are compared. The σ m and specific energy absorption (SEA) of the three NREHs are not much different during in-plane impact, while the Poisson's ratio of NREH-3 is smaller than that of the other NREHs. Analyze the performance of NREH-3 by analyzing the change of angle θ. It was found that in the y-direction, the SEA of NREH-3-80 is 41.46% higher than that of NREH-3-60, and the Poisson's ratio is almost unchanged. On x-direction, the energy absorption performance is not significantly improved. Analysis of NREH-3′s sensitivity to impact velocity revealed that NREH-3-60, NREH-3-70, and NREH-3-80 are greatly affected by impact velocity. As the velocity increases, their deformation models significantly change, while other structures remain constant. An analysis of the influence of NREH-3 on wall thickness showed that the SEA of NREH-3 is significantly improved with increasing wall thickness and that Poisson's ratio did not significantly change, indicating that appropriately increasing the wall thickness effectively improves the impact resistance of the honeycomb structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• An aluminum foam filled re-entrant aluminum honeycomb structure (FRAH) is designed and investigated. • The proposed FRAH possesses higher specific energy absorption compared to the structure without filling aluminum foam. • The concept of the functional gradient (FG) is introduced into the composite re-entrant honeycombs. • 4. The FG design of the composite structure could reduce the initial peak stress and increase the platform stress value. Auxetic materials have been widely studied in recent years due to their excellent mechanical properties and special deformation modes. However, the application of auxetic materials in practical engineering is limited by the low stiffness. Therefore, in order to broaden the range of applications, it is significant to improve the stiffness of auxetic materials. In this study, the re-entrant aluminum honeycomb is combined with an aluminum foam. The mechanical properties and deformation modes of the aluminum foam filled re-entrant aluminum honeycomb are studied experimentally and numerically. In addition, the effects of the geometrical parameters of such a honeycomb are investigated. The results indicate that the stiffness and the energy absorption capacity can be effectively improved by filling the re-entrant honeycomb with aluminum foam. Due to the high compressibility of aluminum foam, the structure can still retain the auxetic effect at a large strain. In addition, the concept of the functional gradient is introduced into the field of composite re-entrant honeycomb, and the influence of angle gradient and thickness gradient on the structure is analyzed. The results show that the composite structure with the designed functional gradient outperforms the uniform composite structure in terms of initial peak stress and the stress value at the platform stage. Due to its superior performance, the proposed auxetic composite structures hold promising applications in the fields of vehicle engineering, protective engineering and aerospace engineering. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Auxetic honeycombs have been extensively studied due to their unique mechanical properties. In this paper, the dynamic response of WSH (The windmill-like configuration composed of stars and hexagons) honeycomb is systematically studied by theoretical calculations, numerical simulations, and experimental methods. The static and dynamic plateau stresses of WSH honeycombs are calculated, and critical velocities leading to different deformation modes of WSH honeycombs are derived. Finally, the gradient design of WSH honeycombs is carried out. And the dynamic response of the gradient WSH honeycombs is explored through numerical simulations. Under low-velocity impact loading, WSH honeycombs have better energy absorption capacity than conventional honeycombs. Both the concave angle gradient design and thickness gradient design can further enhance the energy absorption performance of WSH honeycombs. • The novel auxetic honeycomb exhibits excellent energy absorption capacity. • The plateau stress and critical velocity for in-plane impact are predicted. • The gradient design improves the anti-impact behavior of the auxetic honeycomb. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To obtain a structure with excellent energy-absorbing ability, based on the traditional star-shaped honeycomb (SSH), a crossed star-shaped honeycomb (CSSH) was designed via evolving the horizontal and vertical walls of the honeycomb into crossed inclined walls. In this paper, the Poisson's ratio and Young's modulus of honeycomb under axial load are theoretically deduced, and a method is proposed to evaluate the deformation stability of honeycomb with the maximum deviation of unilateral horizontal strain (MDUHS). Numerical simulation is employed to verify the theoretical solution, and the in-plane mechanical properties and deformation behavior of CSSH are investigated in detail. The numerical simulation method in Abaqus software was verified by using quasi-static crush test data of 3D printed CSSH specimens. It is found that by changing the inclined angle θ 2 , CSSH can evolve into a positive Poisson's ratio(PPR), zero Poisson's ratio(ZPR), or negative Poisson's ratio structure(NPR), and Young's modulus is very sensitive to the difference between the opened angle θ 1 and the inclined angle θ 2 ; increasing θ 1 or decreasing θ 2 not only significantly improves the energy absorption capacity of the honeycomb but also facilitates the generation of a more pronounced double plateau region on the stress-strain curve; by changing the length of the crossed inclined wall, three improved CSSHs(ICSSH) can be obtained. Among them, by adjusting the length of the crossed inclined wall in the horizontal direction, the structure with the superior energy absorption capacity can be obtained. The structure with excellent deformation stability can be obtained through adjusting the length of the crossed inclined wall in the vertical direction. Results show that the performance of CSSH is better than that of SSH, with a specific energy absorption (SEA) of 245% higher than that of SSH. This work is expected to guide the design of new auxetic honeycombs with better energy absorption properties, and can also provide a reference for the optimization of honeycombs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Metallic graded RECH prototypes fabricated through a low-cost step-by-step method. • Graded RECH takes advantage of structural hierarchy and functional gradient. • Gradient design causes multi-step deformation mode and multi-plateau stress. • Improved SEA and auxeticity of graded RECH under different crushing velocities. As lightweight energy-absorbing materials, auxetic honeycombs have demonstrated promising applications in engineering fields. In this study, the graded re-entrant circular auxetic honeycombs (RECH) were proposed, and their metallic prototypes were fabricated through a low-cost step-by-step method. The novel design of graded RECH takes advantage of structural hierarchy on the meso-scale and functional gradient on the macro-scale. The in-plane crushing behaviors of uniform (U) RECH, positive gradient (PG) RECH and negative gradient (NG) RECH with the same relative density were investigated under different crushing velocities. The finite element (FE) models were validated by comparing against the experimental and theoretical results. The results showed that the gradient design can control the multi-step deformation modes of RECH, which leads to the multi-plateau characteristics and reduced initial stress peaks in stress-strain curves. Under quasi-static crushing, the specific energy absorption (SEA) of PG-RECH is higher by 43.9% than that of U-RECH owing to more plastic deformations of hierarchical circular walls at a large strain. Under dynamic impacts, the SEA of NG-RECH is 2.7 times and 1.5 times those of PG-RECH and U-RECH at a small strain, respectively. Finally, the NG-RECH shows more negative Poisson's ratio (NPR) behavior than the U-RECH under dynamic crushing. This study offers new routes to the fabrication and design of auxetic metamaterials. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been demonstrated that origami structures can be successfully used for honeycomb structures. And the excellent energy absorption properties of origami structures make them a promising candidate for use in cushioning when paired with honeycomb structures. Consequently, the honeycomb structure was recreated using origami structures to generate new specimens, aiming to reduce the initial peak force under out-of-plane crushing while maintaining the energy absorption properties. The specimens were created using 3D printing technology, and experiments with quasi-static flat pressing were carried out. The properties of the origami-based honeycomb were investigated during out-of-plane crushing, with an emphasis on its energy absorption properties. Additionally, the compressive properties of the origami-based honeycomb are compared with those of traditional re-entrant honeycomb in z-axial directions. To further investigate the properties of the origami-based honeycomb, a validated model was developed in Abaqus, and the accuracy of the finite element model's forecast was confirmed. The results show excellent lateral material shrinkage under axial compression, which is an obvious negative Poisson's ratio (NPR) effect, and a distinct hardening process with stiffness increases when the origami-based honeycomb structure experiences densification. Moreover, compared to the traditional re-entrant honeycomb structure, the origami-based honeycomb has a lower peak crushing force and a smoother plateau stress curve, making it an ideal material for protective structural applications. Increasing the height H or decreasing the forward length V are effective methods for increasing the structure's specific energy absorption (SEA). Additionally, different configurations will have distinct consequences for the structure. Compared to ordinary origami-based honeycombs, the honeycomb with different configurations has superior energy absorption properties and can also achieve stiffness jumps and segmental self-locking. • Under compression, the origami honeycomb displays an evident NPR and densification effect. • This origami honeycomb can effectively utilize the plastic deformation energy of materials. • Differently arranged origami honeycombs suffer stiffness jumps, enabling deformation control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A novel elliptical anti-chiral (EAC) honeycomb structure is proposed by replacing the straight cell walls of the criss-cross anti-chiral (CAC) honeycomb with elliptical cell walls. • Both numerical and experimental results reveal the existence of a plateau stage and an enhancement stage in the stress–strain curves of the EAC honeycomb. • Larger semi-axis length ratio results in larger plateau stress and densification strain, while smaller semi-axis length ratio means larger initial peak stress and plateau strain. • The empirical formulas of critical impact velocity and plateau stress are further derived. Honeycombs with anti-chiral (AC) unit cells are found to have auxetic properties and enhanced energy absorption capacities than regular hexagonal honeycombs. To further improve the energy absorption capacity, by replacing the straight cell walls of the criss-cross anti-chiral (CAC) honeycomb with elliptical cell walls, a novel elliptical anti-chiral (EAC) honeycomb is proposed in this paper. The in-plane crushing response of the EAC honeycomb is investigated numerically under different impact velocities. The numerical modeling method in ABAQUS software is validated by the compression test data of 3D-printed EAC honeycomb specimens. Both experimental and numerical results reveal that the EAC honeycomb has a plateau stage and an enhancement stage in the stress–strain curve. The empirical formulas of critical impact velocity and plateau stress are further derived, which is in good agreement with the numerical simulation results. The parameter analysis further shows that the microstructural parameters have a great influence on the crushing strength of the EAC honeycomb. Under the same impact velocity, larger semi-axis length ratio results in larger plateau stress and densification strain, while smaller semi-axis length ratio means larger initial peak stress and plateau strain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Inspired by beetle elytra intersection unit, a series of novel bionic honeycombs were designed. • Several bio-honeycombs exhibit zero or negative Poisson's ratio. • Bio-honeycombs can improve plateau stress and reduce the peak force effectively. A series of novel bionic honeycombs (bio-honeycombs) are proposed by incorporating the microstructure of the beetle elytra intersection unit into the regular hexagonal honeycomb (Hex) cell. To explore the in-plane mechanical properties and energy absorption performance of bio-honeycombs under different impact speeds, finite element (FE) models are established and verified by empirical formulas and current experiments. The results indicate that the bio-honeycombs outperform the Hex in terms of energy absorption capacity, and the nominal stress–strain curves of the bio-honeycombs show two prominent stages (stage Ⅰ and stage Ⅱ) under quasi-static and mid-impact. Bionic units also undergo two evident deformation stages: preliminary collapse and further crushing. The bending and traction of bionic units make more adjacent cells added to the collapse earlier, forming a global crushed trend, leading to an interesting phenomenon that the localized band of bio-honeycombs are always wider than that of Hex. Also, negative Poisson's ratio is observed in stage Ⅱ from several bio-honeycombs under quasi-static and mid-speed due to bionic units' bending and traction in the further crushing stage. Besides, the number and distribution of ribs have a considerable impact on the crashworthiness of bio-honeycombs. Compared with the Hex, the incorporated bionic units reduce the peak crushing force (PCF) while improving the crashworthiness of bio-honeycomb in the case of the same relative density, which provides a promising potential solution to strengthen the energy absorption performance of honeycomb structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• An improved Diabolo shaped honeycomb is proposed. • The energy absorption characteristics and stability of DSH are investigated. • The plateau stress and specific energy absorption of DSHs are better than those of RHHs. Due to the excellent energy absorption performance of re-entrant hexagonal honeycomb (RHH) with negative Poisson's ratio (NPR) property, an improved Diabolo shaped honeycomb (DSH) based on RHH is proposed in this paper. With the application of bionic principle, three DSHs with adding ribs are further extended in design. A comparative analysis between RHH and DSHs under axial compression is performed by the finite element calculation software ABAQUS/ EXPLICIT, and subsequently the energy absorption performance and energy absorption stability of DSHs under oblique compression are investigated. The relationship between the cell wall thickness of the honeycomb with the best energy absorption effect in DSHs and the compression crashworthiness criteria is also predicted. The results show that the plateau stress and specific energy absorption of DSHs under axial compression are better than those of RHHs, and the energy absorption capacity of RHH is improved by a novel design. In addition, the energy absorption capacity and stability of the honeycomb under oblique compression are influenced by the number position of the ribs and the cell wall thickness. Therefore, the improved design of NPR metamaterials with oblique compression can provide a reference for the practical application of honeycombs with good energy absorption capacity and stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sandwich panels/sacrificial cladding systems composed of an auxetic core sandwiched between two faceplates can be considered an effective protective measure for reinforced concrete structures from blast loads. In this study, the effectiveness of re-entrant honeycomb core sandwich (RHS) protective panel systems, which exhibit a negative Poisson's ratio, to protect one-way simply supported reinforced concrete (RC) slabs subjected to a close-range detonation from high explosive charges was experimentally evaluated. Three large-scale field blast trials were carried out, namely an RC slab without protection as the reference test and two RC slabs with RHS protective systems under similar blast loading conditions. The RC slabs with RHS protective systems experienced catastrophic failure, unlike the unprotected reference slab that experienced only localised concrete damage. LS-DYNA numerical models were validated and agreed well with the experimental results. It was demonstrated that the transferred blast impulse to the main structure can be magnified by a factor of 1.6 by using an RHS protective system compared to an unprotected structure. Furthermore, the effect of the mass of the protective system was numerically studied. The numerical results showed that the blast protection level of the main structure is governed by the inertial resistance of the protective system rather than through energy absorption of the auxetic honeycomb core structure. • Response of RC panels protected by auxetic sandwich panels to close-in explosion is investigated experimentally and numerically. • The damage magnification effect of the auxetic sandwich panels is captured experimentally which has not been reported so far. • The impulse transferred to the main structure could be magnified by a factor of 1.6 compared to the unprotected structure. • The duality of energy absorption and inertial resistance of auxetic protective systems need to be considered at close standoff distances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • An assembled auxetic chiral honeycomb (AACH) is designed and manufactured by 3D printing. • The AACH could exhibit lower peak force and high stress plateau. • The external energy is mainly absorbed by the vertical wave plate. • The AACH provides a new idea for the industrial manufacturing of auxetics. Auxetic metamaterials tend to be fabricated using additive manufacturing and laser cutting due to their special porous microstructures. Although the auxetic metamaterials have many applications currently, the high cost and the low efficiency of available manufacturing are adverse to expend their application range. In this work, the auxetic chiral honeycomb is assembled crosswise using the slotted wave plate. Effects of wave radius, plate thickness, slot percentage, and base material on the Poisson's ratio and mechanical performance are explored experimentally and numerically. The results show that assembled auxetic chiral honeycomb (AACH) exhibits lower peak force and high plateau stress than the conventional assembled one. With the increase of wave radius and plate thickness, the energy absorption (EA) and specific energy absorption (SEA) would increase. As for the different material combinations, when the base materials in vertical and horizontal wave plates adopt stainless steel and aluminum, respectively, the AACH would exhibit desirable EA, SEA, and auxetic behavior. These findings provide a new approach to the manufacture of auxetics at a low cost, which is beneficial for potential applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A simple re-entrant auxetic metamaterial is designed by rotating and connecting 2D re-entrant honeycomb cells. • The energy absorption of the proposed metamaterial is discussed under different design parameters. • The proposed 3D re-entrant auxetic lattice has desirable stiffness and specific energy absorption. • The initial peak stress and energy absorption capacity of the metamaterial can be adjusted via changing design parameters. As a branch of auxetics, the re-entrant hexagonal honeycomb has many superior mechanical performances. However, most research focused on two-dimensional (2D) re-entrant structures or three-dimensional (3D) structures without high compressibility. The energy absorption capacity of such structures is deficient for practical applications. Therefore, it is important to investigate the 3D re-entrant honeycomb structures which can sustain large deformation in order to make the most use of the materials. In this work, a simple 3D re-entrant unit cell is designed, manufactured and examined. The influence of geometric parameters on the deformation mode and energy absorption capacity is investigated numerically. The experimental results are in good agreement with the finite element prediction. The proposed 3D re-entrant auxetic metamaterial not only possesses a greater bearing capacity but also presents a stable compression deformation. The structure exhibits a desirable energy absorption behavior, including obvious auxetic behavior and a long stress plateau. By adjusting the geometrical parameters of the structure, the performances of energy absorption and compression stiffness can be improved. These findings provide a new idea to design 3D auxetic metamaterials and promote their utilization in protective structures. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A novel Diabolo shaped honeycomb based on re-entrant hexagonal honeycomb is proposed. • Four enhanced honeycombs are designed based on the Diabolo shaped honeycomb by adding horizontal or longitudinal ribs. • The simulation results show that Diabolo shaped honeycomb has better impact resistance and energy absorption than re-entrant hexagonal honeycomb. • The plateau stress and specific energy absorption of the honeycomb are significantly influenced by the geometric parameters. This paper presents the design of a novel Diabolo shaped honeycomb (DSH) based on re-entrant hexagonal honeycomb (RHH), and four enhanced honeycombs are designed based on the DSH by adding horizontal or longitudinal ribs. The finite element software ABAQUS/EXPLICIT is applied to investigate the relationship between crashworthiness and energy absorption performance with different impact velocities and geometric parameters. The simulation results show that DSH has better impact resistance and energy absorption than RHH. DSH has improved plateau stress by 141.3%, 78.7%, and 22.7% of low-velocity, medium-velocity, and high-velocity compression, respectively, and SEA by 103.7%, 79.3%, and 7.3%, respectively. In addition, the impact resistance of the four enhanced honeycombs is further improved. The shrinkage effect of DSH after impact is not as good as that of RHH, and the horizontal ribs suppress the negative Poisson's ratio property of the honeycomb. Different impact velocities affect the deformation pattern of the honeycomb. With the increase of impact velocities, the honeycomb has a transition from overall deformation to local deformation with increasing velocity. The plateau stress and specific energy absorption of the honeycomb are significantly influenced by the geometric parameters. This research provides a reference for the optimal design and application of honeycombs as energy absorbing components. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Double arrowed honeycomb (DAH) is a typical auxetic material with negative Poisson's ratio (NPR) and excellent mechanical properties, showing a wide application prospect in aerospace, marine, automotive and other fields. In this work, we introduce the double circular arc walls into the regular DAH unit cell to improve the strength and energy absorption capability of the material. According to the position of the arc wall, three circular double arrowed honeycomb (CDAH) unit configurations were proposed, including upper-circular (U-type), lower-circular (L-type), and full-circular (F-type). The prototype specimens of DAH and CDAHs were fabricated by 3D printing and tested under quasi-static crushing. The finite element (FE) models of the specimens were established and validated by the experimental results. The experimental and numerical results showed that the three types of CDAHs have higher crushing stress, crush force efficiency (CFE) and specific energy absorption (SEA) than the DAH with the same geometric parameters, which is due to the formation of more plastic hinges at the joints and the middle of the arc walls. Specifically, the CFE of L-type CDAH is 25.8% higher than that of DAH, and the SEA of F-type CDAH is 85.9% higher than that of DAH. The detailed parameter analyses of CDAH revealed that small short inclined wall angle and lower circular arc radius, and large friction coefficient value, long inclined wall angle and cell wall thickness all lead to large SEA. Among the three types of CDAH, the U-type has the greatest SEA and the most NPR effect under the same relative density. Finally, a wide range of SEA and Poisson's ratio of the CDAH can be obtained by rationally designing the arc wall position and the geometric parameters of the unit cell. [Display omitted] • Quasi-static crushing behaviors of three novel types of circular double arrowed honeycombs (CDAHs) through experimental tests and numerical simulations. • More Energy absorption than regular double arrowed honeycomb (DAH) due to formation of more plastic hinges of arc walls. • Good agreement between experimental and numerical results in terms of deformation mode, crushing stress and specific energy absorption (SEA). • Effects of cell number, geometric parameter and relative density on crushing responses of CDAHs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The new-shaped auxetic honeycomb with the thickness gradient is proposed. • A negative Poisson's ratio effect is observed in the gradient honeycomb. • The energy absorption curves of different gradient rates are analyzed. • The effect of the positive gradient in reducing the PCF is more obvious. In this paper, the new honeycomb with the thickness gradient is proposed. The crushing behaviors of the new-shaped auxetic honeycomb is simulated by using finite element software ABAQUS/Explicit. A quasi-static experiment is conducted to compare the energy absorption effect of the uniform and the thickness gradient honeycombs. A significant negative Poisson's ratio effect is observed in the gradient honeycomb, and the energy absorption curves of different gradient rates are also analyzed. The results show that the platform stress and energy absorption are enhanced with the increase of the gradient rate and velocity. The effect of the positive gradient in reducing the peak crushing force is more obvious. It is proved that the thickness gradient design of the new-shaped auxetic honeycomb is an effective method to enhance the energy absorption capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]