Theoretical and Experimental Crushing Analysis of Metal Square Honeycombs Under Quasi-Static Loading

Honeycomb cellular structures, due to their light weight and high energy absorbing, have been used extensively as energy absorbers or cushions to resist external loads. In this paper, the mean crushing stress and the wavelength of the folding mode, as two important parameters in the study of metal square honeycomb crushing under quasi-static loading have been investigated theoretically and experimentally. Firstly, by considering the true cylindrical curvature effects and the flow stress in the folding mode of the honeycomb material, the Wierzbicki’s model in the study of metal hexagonal honeycomb crushing under quasi-static loading is modified. This modification is performed by rewriting the internal energy terms and the external work in the energy method through the basic element folding by considering the true cylindrical curvature effects and the flow stress of the honeycomb material. Comparison of the results obtained by this modified model and Wierzbicki’s model with the experimental data shows better prediction by the model presented in this paper. Subsequently, this modified model has been extended to the study of metal square honeycombs crushing under quasi-static loading and the mean crushing stress and the wavelength of the folding mode of these structures have been predicted. This analytical model predicts the mean crushing stress of the metal square honeycomb as a function of both the geometrical parameters and its material, while the predicted wavelength of the folding mode is just a function of the geometrical parameters. Finally, the experimental tests have been performed to verify the preciseness of this theoretical model.