Numerical study on the energy absorption of additively manufactured cuttlebone-like structures

Abstract

Lattice structures possess exceptional energy absorption capabilities, which make them an excellent candidate for lightweight structures that are required to possess crashworthiness and provide impact resistance which remain crucial factors in fields such as the aerospace and automotive industries. In this project the quasi-static and dynamic mechanical behaviour and response of four lattice structures was studied. The four lattice structures which were studied include two cuttlebone-like structures each with a different amplitude of its s-shaped walls as well as one structure with symmetrical s-shaped walls and one structure with straight walls. Finite Element Analysis was conducted to investigate the effects of the curvature of the s-shaped walls of the cuttlebone-like structures on their mechanical properties. The findings revealed that the cuttlebone-like structure with s-shaped walls of a larger amplitude possessed superior energy absorption capabilities compared to the other three structures investigated. The cuttlebone-like structure with a larger amplitude dissipated energy from the external dynamic impact at the fastest rate while the structure with straight walls performed the weakest and dissipated energy from the external impact at the slowest rate.