Compression deformation and energy absorption of thin-walled structures with arc-shaped origami patterns

Abstract

By chosing PolyMaxTM PLA as the sample material, thin-walled tube structures with arc-shaped origami patterns were prepared by a three-dimensional printing technology. Based on quasi-static axial compression experiments, their axial quasi-static crushing and impact compression deformation modes and energy absorption were simulated by using the ABAQUS software to investigate the influences of the prefolding angle and the number of in-plane arrays on the crushing mode and energy absorption of the structures. The results by the finite element calculation are in agreement with the experimental ones. The deformation of the tubes can be divided into four stages including initial crushing stage, prefolding-angle plastic rotation stage, web plastic buckling stage, and complete crushing and densification stage. The arc-shaped corrugations demonstrate some obvious advantages at reducing the initial peak force and the fluctuation range of the impact force. The square tube was compared with the arc-shaped origami patterns with the same height and approximately the same mass. For the single-cell models, the specific energy absorption of the model with only 70° crease inclination is higher than that of the square tube under the quasi-static crushing. For the multiple-array tube structures, the specific energy absorption of the single-cell square tube is higher than those of the arc-shaped tubes. When considering the crush force efficiency and specific total efficiency, the arc-shaped tubes have an advantage over the square tubes, the model with a crease inclination of 50° is the best. Under the impact crushing loading condition, the specific energy absorptions of the multiple-array tubes are higher than those of the arc-shaped tubes. The crush force efficiency and specific total efficiency of the arc-shaped tubes are higher than those of the square tubes under the impact velocity of 10 m/s, the model with a crease inclination of 50° is the highest. The crush force efficiency and specific total efficiency of the model with only 50° crease inclination are higher than those of the square tube under the impact velocity of 20 m/s.