Quasi-static Compression Experiments Research Articles

Experimental investigation on axial quasi-static compression and low-velocity impact behaviors of perforated thermoplastic composite cylindrical shells

Perforation in cylindrical shells is commonly a typical technique to fulfill relevant functional requirements. However, how the perforation influence the mechanical performance of thermoplastic composite cylindrical shells (TPCCS) is incompletely understood. Hence, a systematic investigation through quasi-static compression and low-velocity impact (LVI) experiments was carried out in this paper. The full-field strain distributions of TPCCS intact tubes (IT) and perforated tubes (PT) were monitored by using 3D-DIC, and the residual properties were also characterized by compression-after-impact (CAI) tests. The results show that under quasi-static compression, the structural stiffness decreases significantly with increasing perforation diameter. The perforation reduces the interference of internal random defects on the structural deformation mode, which leads to a significant strain concentration in PT. The peak force and initial stiffness under LVI are smaller than those under quasi-static compression, with IT displaying higher sensitivity to dynamic loading compared to PT. At the impact energy of 100 J, IT and PT exhibit “S”- and “X”-shaped deformation modes, respectively. CAI tests indicate that although PT has a poorer residual load-carrying capacity than IT, it retains good structural integrity and secondary energy absorption capacity. This study provides a valuable reference for the assessment and application of perforated TPCCS.

The mechanical responses of SiC-coated carbon-bonded carbon fiber composites under quasi-static cyclic compressive loading

SiC-coated carbon-bonded carbon fiber composites (CBCFs), serving as novel thermal protection materials for hypersonic vehicles, are manufactured to investigate their mechanical properties concerning reusability. Comprehensive analyses are performed on their microstructures, including the fiber arrangement and the morphology of individual fibers and interconnecting bonds. The results demonstrate that SiC-coated CBCFs exhibit higher elastic moduli and strengths in both typical directions compared to bare CBCFs. To evaluate their durability in repeated use scenarios, a series of quasi-static uniaxial cyclic compressive experiments are conducted with emphasis on the variations of deformation recovery, load bearing and energy dissipation. The results indicate that SiC-coated CBCFs exhibit stable deformation recovery ability in the OP direction after the 25th cycle, with a decelerating decline in their load-bearing capacity observed over subsequent cycles. The energy loss coefficient initially decreases with increasing cycle number, and higher compression loads enlarge the amount of energy that is dissipated in the first cycle. These insights elucidate critical correlations between the mechanical properties of SiC-coated CBCFs and the number of compressive cycles, contributing to the optimization of their practical utilization in reusable scenarios.

Machine learning predictions on the compressive stress–strain response of lattice-based metamaterials

Predicting the stress–strain curve of lattice-based metamaterials is crucial for their design and application. However, the complex nonlinear relationship between the mesoscopic structure of lattice materials and their macroscopic mechanical behavior makes prediction challenging. In this study, beam element models of over 20,000 lattice structures were established using Python scripts, and calculations were performed by ABAQUS to obtain training and testing datasets. The spatial features of each lattice-based metamaterial were then encoded into a graph, a data structure recognizable by machine learning algorithm. Utilizing machine learning methods, a Structure to Sequence Neural Network was constructed and trained, achieving rapid prediction of the compressive stress–strain curves for lattice-based metamaterials. Afterwards, several lattice structures were randomly selected and 3D printed. The accuracy of the simulation results as well as machine learning predictions was validated through quasi-static compression experiments. It is revealed that the proposed Neural Network model outperforms the traditional Artificial Neural Networks as the errors are reduced while the Coefficient of Determination is higher. The results demonstrate the accurate fitting between the complex spatial features of the lattice-based metamaterials and their stress–strain curves, which provides a potential methodology for inverse optimization of the lattice-based metamaterials in the future.

Energy absorption characteristics of origami-folded thin-walled square tubes internally filled with graded polyurethane foam structures

Rigid polyurethane foam, known for its low density, lightweight, and excellent energy absorption properties, has been effectively employed to enhance the energy absorption capacity of origami-folded thin-walled square tubes filled with graded foam. In this study, quasi-static compression experiments and finite element simulations were conducted on 3D-printed origami-folded thin-walled tubes filled with graded foam. The impact of factors such as the number of folding layers, interlayer dihedral angles, wall thickness, and various foam densities on the energy absorption characteristics of these thin-walled tubes was analyzed. It was found that the incorporation of fold designs significantly improved the energy absorption properties of thin-walled tubes. Notably, origami tubes filled with positively graded foam outperform their negatively graded and single-density foam-filled counterparts in terms of energy absorption capability. The research underscores the excellent energy absorption properties of origami-folded thin-walled square tubes filled with graded foam, offering valuable insights for optimizing structures involving more intricate origami patterns and subsequent graded foam filling.Keywords

Mechanical Properties of Selective Laser Melting‐Processed Multihierarchical Lattice Structure Based on Body‐Centered‐Cubic Unit Cell

Herein, three types of multihierarchical lattice structures (MHLSs) with different configurations are designed based on the body‐centered‐cubic (BCC) unit cell. The designed lattice structures are fabricated using Ti‐6Al‐4 V powder as feedstock material through selective laser melting (SLM) technology. The microstructure and surface morphology of the SLM‐formed samples are observed by optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy, respectively. Theoretical calculation and quasistatic compression experiment are carried out to investigate their mechanical properties. The result shows that the size error of slave cell with small strut diameters is greater than that of master cell with larger strut diameters. All MHLSs exhibit superior mechanical properties compared to the BCC lattice structure. Moreover, the specific elastic modulus and specific yield strength of MHLSs with the best mechanical properties are 70.1% and 51.0% higher than that of BCC lattice structure, respectively. Meanwhile, theoretical calculation results of the elastic modulus and yield strength are consistent with the results of quasi‐static compression testing. The fracture morphology analysis indicates that the struts of the MHLSs samples exhibit a mixed brittle–plastic fracture mode, while the nodes exhibit a plastic fracture mode.

Research on mechanical properties of metal rubber based on planar lattice design

Metal rubber is a common vibration is olation material. Because the arrangement of the internal spiral coil will affect the mechanical properties of the metal rubber, this paper draws on the crystal lattice theory in metallurgy, changes the mesoscopic arrangement of the spiral coil through the design of the two-dimensional blank plane lattice structure, and prepares three kinds of lattice structures, and optimizes the mass ratio of the three metal rubber lattice structures, so as to improve the average stiffness and energy dissipation coefficient of the metal rubber. The quasi-static compression experiments passed. The results show that the triangular lattice structure design can reflect the good average stiffness, and the square lattice structure design can obtain the maximum energy dissipation coefficient. The study confirms that the fabrication of metal rubber materials based on planar lattice design is an effective way to improve stiffness and energy dissipation.

A hardness-based constitutive model for numerical simulation of blind rivet with gradient hardness distribution

A286 superalloy blind rivets find extensive applications in the structural connections of aerospace equipment owing to their exceptional strength and heat resistance. However, the gradient hardness distribution within the rivet sleeves complicates achieving precise numerical simulation results with traditional constitutive models. This study aims to establish a constitutive model suitable for materials exhibiting gradient hardness to support the development of A286 superalloy blind rivets. Initially, quasi-static compression experiments were conducted on A286 superalloy samples at different hardness levels (160–324 HV), strain rates (0.01–10 s⁻¹), and temperatures (25–600°C). Subsequently, the influence of material microstructural evolution on flow stress during compression was investigated using electron backscatter diffraction technique. Furthermore, a hardness-based Johnson-Cook (J-C) constitutive model was developed by introducing hardness and offset compensation onto the original J-C model and compared with its counterpart. Finally, the hardness-based model was employed to simulate the bulge compression forming of A286 blind rivets and validated through experimental trials. The findings reveal that dislocation strengthening predominantly contributes to the increased material flow stress with escalating strain rates and sample hardness. Compared to the original J-C model, the stress prediction error of the hardness-based model reduced from 26.8 % to 2.9 %, effectively depicting the variation in material flow stress under different hardness values. The simulated values of bulge morphology, dimensions, and load closely align with experimental data, affirming the efficacy of the hardness-based model in numerically simulating blind rivets with gradient hardness distribution.

Study on the factors affecting the mechanical properties of antler under quasi-static compression.

In the natural environment, antlers have a significant mechanical structure that protects the deer head from injury. In this paper, the mechanical properties of antlers were evaluated through quasi-static compression tests and microstructural observation of samples from antlers, and the relationship between the sampling position, load direction, and microstructure and their mechanical properties were investigated. Compression experiments confirmed that the tines had the strongest mechanical properties, followed by the main beams and finally the brow tines. The mechanical properties of the test specimens subjected to axial compression were higher than those of lateral compression. The axial load test of the longitudinal sample of the tine of the antler has the best mechanical properties. Its specific energy absorption is 51.33 J/g, the peak crushing force is 1.26 kN, and the mean crushing force is 1.47 kN. There are many tubular structures in the transverse sections of antlers, and the distribution of fibers in the vertical direction is laminar with alternating rows forming a helical structure. Tubular structures were found to be prevalent in some of the better biomechanical structures by comparison. Numerical modeling simulations to describe the effect of tubular structures on the mechanical properties of antlers. The simulation results show that the increase in the size of the tubular structure improves its energy absorption within the variation of a 20% increase in the size of the long and short axis. These findings provide a theoretical and experimental basis for the design of energy-absorbing structures. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: In this paper, transverse and longitudinal samples were taken from the main beam, tine, and brow tine of antlers, and axial and lateral compression were carried out, respectively. In this paper, quasi-static compression experiments were carried out on antler samples to study the effects of sampling position, loading direction, and microstructure on antler mechanical properties. By means of microstructure observation and numerical modeling, it is determined that the size of the antler Havel tube has an effect on its mechanical properties.

Modeling of strain hardening behaviors of 6061 aluminum alloy considering strain rate and temperature effects

This paper focuses on the plastic strain hardening behaviors of 6061 aluminum alloy (AA6061), considering its dependence on strain rate and temperature. Quasi-static tensile tests were conducted over a wide temperature range (20 °C-300 °C), and the digital image correlation technique was used to capture the deformation process of specimens. Additionally, the uniaxial compressive mechanical response of AA6061 was tested utilizing quasi-static compression and split Hopkinson pressure bar experiments over a wide range of strain rates (0.001 s−1–6000 s−1). Experimental results showed that the flow stress decreased and increased nonlinearly with temperature and strain rate, respectively. A modified Johnson–Cook (MJC) model was developed by incorporating a temperature-dependent strain softening term, along with corrections to the temperature and strain rate product terms, to reproduce the nonlinear dependence. Furthermore, the MJC model was proven to be able to accurately reproduce the deformation of the specimens tested in Taylor impact experiments (strain rates up to 105 s−1), suggesting its effectiveness for interpolating and extrapolating stress-strain relationships. This model provides applicable modeling for materials with nonlinear rate sensitivity and temperature sensitivity, and it is expected to be applied in engineering problems involving ultra-high strain rates.

Mechanical properties and energy absorption capabilities of plate-based AlSi10Mg metamaterials produced by laser powder bed fusion

Plate-based lattice structures are an emerging category of mechanical metamaterials with exceptional mechanical performance. In this work, plate-based SCFCC metamaterials of AlSi10Mg with various relative densities are fabricated by laser powder bed fusion (LPBF). Circular holes are strategically designed and placed at the center of each non-load-bearing face for residual powder removal. Quasi-static compression experiments and numerical simulations are performed to investigate their mechanical performance and deformation mechanisms. Results indicate that the elastic modulus of SCFCC metamaterials decreases by 3.5% with the presence of 0.9 mm diameter holes, while increasing the hole size shows negligible impact on the elastic modulus. The novel plate-based SCFCC structure exhibits superior mechanical properties and enhanced energy absorption capacity concerning conventional high-stiffness truss-based and shell-based counterparts. The improvement, at the relative density of 0.2, can be observed in terms of elastic modulus (around 50%), peak compressive strength (around 300%), energy absorption capacity (around 400% or 200%). When increasing the relative density from 0.2 to 0.5, plate-based SCFCC metamaterial still maintains superior mechanical performance while the gaps between SCFCC and its counterparts narrow down gradually owing to the loss of structural features. Moreover, mechanical characteristics and coefficients of three Gibson and Ashby analytical equations are determined. This work proposes a novel type of plate-based structure with both exceptional mechanical performance and good additive manufacturability, which opens a new avenue for the design of lightweight mechanical metamaterials.

Laser additive manufacturing of TiB2-modified Cu15Ni8Sn/GH3230 heterogeneous materials: Processability, interfacial microstructure and mechanical performance

Cu/Ni heterogeneous materials integrate excellent thermal conductivity and high-temperature mechanical properties, enabling them to be widely used in the aerospace domain. Differences in the thermal and physical properties of the Cu and Ni materials, however, make them difficult to be processed using the laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) additive manufacturing process. This study systematically examines the effects of various LPBF process parameters on microstructure, element diffusion, bonding strength and microhardness at the Cu/Ni interface, as well as investigating the mechanisms of defect formation within Cu/Ni heterogeneous materials. The results indicate that a reasonable control of laser energy input (<100 J/mm3) facilitates the Cu/Ni components through strong interfacial metallurgical bonding without pore defect formation. Compared to single-material Cu alloy, the ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of the horizontally bonded Cu/Ni specimen increased by 55.25 %, without significant reductions in elongation. The vertically bonded Cu/Ni tensile specimen fractured in the middle of the Cu region rather than the interfacial region, indicating superb interfacial bonding strength. Another advantage lies in the enhancement of thermophysical properties, with a 109.5 % increase in thermal conductivity achieved in the LPBF-fabricated Cu/Ni heterogeneous materials compared to the single-material Ni alloy. Quasi-static compression experiments indicated that the Cu/Ni lattice structure could absorb more energy when compressed parallel to the build direction (BD), compared to being perpendicular to the BD. This study provides guidance for the design and manufacture of high-performance Cu/Ni heterogeneous components via LPBF.

A novel straw structure sandwich hood with regular deformation diffusion mode

This work proposes an improved straw structure (ISS) sandwich hood (ISSH) to reduce the serious child head injuries caused by vehicle hood. The ISS sample is manufactured using the selective laser sintering (SLS) technique with nylon 11 material. A quasi-static compression experiment verifies the accuracy of the ISS in finite element analysis (FEA). The head injury criterion (HIC15) with the original hood and ISSH are then compared. The obtained results show that ISSH reduced the HIC15 by an average of 46.2 %. The ISSH has a regular deformation diffusion mode (RDDM), which helps to expand the energy absorption area. The ISS deformation mode is top-down layer-by-layer folding of structural layers. In addition, the impact of ISS geometric parameters on head injuries is studied. The thinner upper conical structures, larger layer heights, and material nylon 11 of the ISS contribute to the further improvement of protective effectiveness. The protective effectiveness of small-sized ISSs with connecting plates (SISC) against head injuries decreases with the increase of ISS quantity. In summary, this work provides new insights into the design of the sandwich hood for pedestrian protection, and the RDDM mechanism provides a novel direction for energy absorption.

Failure mechanisms and process defects of 3D-printed continuous carbon fiber-reinforced composite circular honeycomb structures with different stacking directions

3D printing of continuous carbon fiber-reinforced composites relieves molds in composite manufacturing and gives flexibility to the design of lightweight and robust circular honeycomb structures. Nevertheless, how process defects affect the failure mechanisms of 3D-printed continuous carbon fiber-reinforced honeycomb structures remains undisclosed. To advance this research area, it requires a comprehensive investigation of the failure mechanisms and process defects of 3D-printed continuous carbon fiber-reinforced composite circular honeycomb structures (CCFRCCHSs), with particular attention to the influence of stacking orientations. In this study, 3D printing has been introduced to fabricate CCFRCCHSs using the identical composite material and geometry but different stacking orientations. Both in-plane and out-of-plane quasi-static compression experiments were carried out on these CCFRCCHSs. The mechanical properties and failure mechanisms were investigated through experimental analysis and cross-section observation, from which the microscopic voids and weak interfaces were identified as the dominating factors influencing the failure modes of CCFRCCHSs. This study provides insights into the association between process defects and failure mechanisms of 3D-printed CCFRCCHSs with different stacking directions, which offers guidance for the design of lightweight and robust composite circular honeycomb structures.

Lateral compressive behavior of multi-layer lattice-web reinforced composite cylinders

Several novel multi-layer lattice-web reinforced composite cylinders, consisting of glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) face sheets and lattice webs, polyurethane (PU) foam core and clay ceramsite filler, were proposed and manufactured using a vacuum assisted resin infusion process (VARIP) method. A series of quasi-static lateral compressive experiments were carried out to investigate the feasibility of the proposed cylinders. For both the hollow composite cylinders and ceramsite filling composite cylinders, the bearing capacity and energy absorption performance can be significantly improved with the use of multi-layer lattice-web layouts. Among the proposed three types of lattice-web layouts, the double-layer dislocated lattice-web layout made the composite cylinder exhibit the greatest specific energy absorption (SEA) performance and can be chosen as an optimal configuration. Furthermore, numerical models were established using LS-‍DYNA software to simulate the large deformation of the composite cylinders with double-layer dislocated lattice-web layout. Based on the numerical models, parametric analysis was carried out to discuss the effects of various parameters on the crushing response of the composite cylinders. Generally, using thicker GFRP material or higher radial lattice web can make the composite cylinders present an increased likelihood of brittle failure. However, filling ceramsite can not only make them exhibit plastic deformation characteristics but also facilitate the full utilization of various components.

Experimental and Numerical Investigation of Polymer-Based 3D-Printed Lattice Structures with Largely Tunable Mechanical Properties Based on Triply Periodic Minimal Surface.

Triply periodic minimal surfaces (TPMSs) have demonstrated significant potential in lattice structure design and have been successfully applied across multiple industrial fields. In this work, a novel lattice structure with tunable anisotropic properties is proposed based on two typical TPMS types, and their mechanical performances are studied both experimentally and numerically after being fabricated using a polymer 3D printing process. Initially, adjustments are made to the original TPMS lattice structures to obtain honeycomb lattice structures, which are found to possess significant anisotropy, by utilizing numerical homogenization methods. Based on this, a continuous self-twisting deformation is proposed to change the topology of the honeycomb lattice structures to largely tune the mechanical properties. Quasi-static compression experiments are conducted with different twisting angles, and the results indicate that self-twisting can affect the mechanical properties in specific directions of the structure, and also enhance the energy absorption capacity. Additionally, it mitigates the risk of structural collapse and failure during compression while diminishing structural anisotropy. The proposed self-twisting strategy, based on honeycomb lattice structures, has been proven valuable in advancing the investigation of lattice structures with largely tunable mechanical properties.

Experimental study of solid-liquid origami composite structures with improved impact resistance

In this paper, a liquid-solid origami composite design is proposed for the improvement of impact resistance. Employing this design strategy, Kresling origami composite structures with different fillings were designed and fabricated, namely air, water, and shear thickening fluid (STF). Quasi-static compression and drop-weight impact experiments were carried out to compare and reveal the static and dynamic mechanical behavior of these structures. The results from drop-weight impact experiments demonstrated that the solid-liquid Kresling origami composite structures exhibited superior yield strength and reduced peak force when compared to their empty counterparts. Notably, the Kresling origami structures filled with STF exhibited significantly heightened yield strength and reduced peak force. For example, at an impact velocity of 3 m/s, the yield strength of single-layer STF-filled Kresling origami structures increased by 772.7% and the peak force decreased by 68.6%. This liquid-solid origami composite design holds the potential to advance the application of origami structures in critical areas such as aerospace, intelligent protection and other important fields. The demonstrated improvements in impact resistance underscore the practical viability of this approach in enhancing structural performance for a range of applications.

Modelling, optimization, and testing of novel cuboidal spherical plate lattice structures

ABSTRACT This study investigates the mechanical behavior of a novel set of Cuboidal Spherical Plate Lattice (CSPL) materials. The procedure of constrained-domain topology optimization is implemented with the aim of enhancing stiffness. The micromechanical finite element homogenization approach is used to evaluate the effective elastic-plastic properties of the CSPLs and their topologically optimized counterparts, TOCSPLs (Topologically Optimized Cuboidal Spherical Plate Lattices). The TOCSPLs demonstrate higher uniaxial, shear, and bulk moduli compared to the CSPLs, with an increase of 31%, 14%, and 36% respectively. Moreover, there is an increase in the yield strengths under uniaxial, shear, and hydrostatic loading conditions, with enhancements of 103%, 55%, and 62%, respectively. The topologies are additively manufactured through Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) out of ABS thermoplastic material. The quasi-static compression experiments demonstrate the superiority of TOCSPL 111+100 over the other topologies in terms of uniaxial modulus. The suffix 111+100 denotes the crystallographic planar orientations in which the solid plate-like disks were formed within a cubic system. The topologies proposed herein outperform certain types of Triply Periodic Minimal Surface, honeycomb, truss-, and plate-based lattice materials. The proposed topologies offer a compelling justification for their utilization in applications that require load-bearing and impact absorption capabilities.

A novel anti-missing-rib lozenge lattice metamaterial with enhanced mechanical properties

In this work, a novel anti-missing-rib lozenge lattice metamaterial (ALLM) is designed. Besides, its mechanical properties are enhanced by introducing lateral and longitudinal auxiliary ribs. The mechanical properties and elasto-plastic deformation behaviors of the proposed metamaterials are systematically investigated through quasi-static compression experiments and finite element analysis. The results show that the designed ALLM exhibits distinct negative Poisson’s ratio (NPR) characteristics and superior specific energy absorption (SEA) capacity. The novel design concurrently enhances the stiffness while preserving the inherent NPR of ALLM. The effects of missing-rib lozenge subunit rotation angles, auxiliary rib configuration, and ligament width on the deformation patterns, energy absorption, stiffness, and NPR of the resulting metamaterials are investigated by parametric analysis. This study provides a reference for the design of tunable lozenge grid missing-rib lattice metamaterials.

On in-plane crushing behavior of an improved double-arrow auxetic metamaterial with two-step deformation mode

An improved double-arrow auxetic honeycomb metamaterial (MDAH) with two-step deformation mode was proposed and manufactured, and its in-plane crushing behavior was studied experimentally, numerically and theoretically. Quasi-static compression experiments were carried out to obtain the deformation modes and stress-strain response. The reliability of the numerical simulation was verified by experimental results. Experiments and numerical simulations have shown that MDAH exhibits a two-step deformation mode of first buckling deformation and then shrinkage deformation, with double-plateau stress characteristics. The provided theoretical results of plateau stresses are in good agreement with experimental and numerical simulation results. The effects of geometric parameters on the in-plane crushing behaviors of MDAH were further discussed through numerical simulation and theoretical analysis. The results indicate that the multi-step deformation mode of MDAH is related to the thickness and angle design of inclined rod. A suitable design can result in a stable two-step deformation mode and exhibit a negative Poisson's ratio effect. The MDAH structure has the characteristic of Poisson's ratio from positive to negative. The deformation mode and mechanical response can be regulated by changing the geometric parameters of MDAH. Compared to traditional double-arrow structures, MDAH has better energy absorption capacity. The present research can provide a new design strategy of auxetic metamaterial with deformation mode conversion and improved energy absorption efficiency.

A new modelling method for open cell foam structure based on centroidal and capacity constraint power diagram

To efficiently establish a finite element model that is highly compatible with the intricate microstructure of foam materials, this study carries out simulation and experimental investigations into open cell foams and explores their compression behavior assuming isotropy. Using an in-house algorithm, we optimize the traditional power diagram model, which is widely used in foam finite element simulation. Specifically, a parameterized geometric foam model is developed based on the centroidal and capacity constrained power diagram (CCCPD), which accurately reflects the internal meso-structure of foam materials. The optimized foam model can restore the typical deformation process of foams under compressive load, thus addressing the limitations of existing foam models. The accuracy of the optimized model is validated by conducting uniaxial Quasi-static compression experiments on foamed thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) material and comparing the experimental results of the 3D printing model with the simulation results of the optimized model. The improved foam model serves as a basis for future research on open cell foam materials.