Biomimetic Study of a Honeycomb Energy Absorption Structure Based on Straw Micro-Porous Structure

Abstract

In this paper, sorghum and reed, which possess light stem structures in nature, were selected as biomimetic prototypes. Based on their mechanical stability characteristics—the porous structure at the node feature and the porous feature in the outer skin— biomimetic optimization design, simulation, and experimental research on both the traditional hexagonal structure and a hexagonal honeycomb structure were carried out. According to the two types of straw microcell and chamber structure characteristics, as well as the cellular energy absorption structure for the bionic optimization design, 22 honeycomb structures in 6 categories were considered, including a corrugated cell wall bionic design, a modular cell design, a reinforcement plate structure, and a self-similar structure, as well as a porous cell wall structure and gradient structures of variable wall thickness. Among them, HTPC-3 (a combined honeycomb structure), HSHT (a self-similar honeycomb structure), and HBCT-257 (a radial gradient variable wall thickness honeycomb structure) had the best performance: their energy absorption was 41.06%, 17.84%, and 83.59% higher than that of HHT (the traditional hexagonal honeycomb decoupling unit), respectively. Compared with HHT (a traditional hexagon honeycomb decoupling unit), the specific energy absorption was increased by 39.98%, 17.24%, and 26.61%, respectively. Verification test analysis revealed that the combined honeycomb structure performed the best and that its specific energy absorption was 22.82% higher than that of the traditional hexagonal structure.