Energy absorption investigation of square CFRP honeycomb reinforced by PMI foam fillers under quasi-static compressive load

Abstract

A type of hybrid core made up of thin-walled square carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) honeycomb and Polymethacrylimide (PMI) foam fillers was proposed and prepared. Numerical model of the core under quasi static compression was established and validated by corresponding experimental results. The compressive properties of the core with different configurations were analyzed through numerical simulations. The effect of the geometrical parameters and foam fillers on the compressive response and energy absorption of the core were analyzed. The results show that the PMI foam fillers can significantly improve the compressive strength and energy absorption capacity of the square CFRP honeycomb. The geometrical parameters have marked effects on the compressive properties of the core. The research can give a reference for the application of PMI foam materials in energy absorbing structures and guide the design and optimization of lightweight and energy efficient cores of sandwiches.