Laser 3D printed bio-inspired impact resistant structure: failure mechanism under compressive loading

ABSTRACT

This work presents a comprehensive failure mechanism study of the bi-directionally corrugated panel (DCP) structures inspired by the telson of mantis shrimp. The DCP structures were fabricated by selective laser melting (SLM) with AlSi10Mg powder. The influence of key structural parameters, namely wave number (N), on the compressive behaviours, stress distribution, deformation modes and fracture mechanism of SLM-processed DCP components was systematically investigated. Results revealed that with the increase of wave number (N), the structural expansion effect became more obvious, which led to the disappearance of the plateau region on the compressive force-displacement curve, the decrease of specific energy absorption (SEA) growth rate and the energy absorption per periodicity cell. Three deformation modes were observed, namely full-folded mode (N = 4), transitional mode (N = 5), and global-buckling mode (N = 6). Finally, the fracture morphologies elucidated that the fracture mechanism changed from ductile fracture to brittle fracture with the increase of wave number.

KEYWORDS:

• Bio-inspired
• bi-directionally corrugated panel
• selective laser melting
• failure mechanism
• energy absorption

Acknowledgments

The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 51735005), and the Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Notes on contributors

Jiankai Yang is currently a PhD student in College of Materials Science and Technology, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics (NUAA), PR China.

Dongdong Gu is currently a Full Professor in College of Materials Science and Technology, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics (NUAA), PR China.

Kaijie Lin is currently a Lecturer in College of Materials Science and Technology, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics (NUAA), PR China.

Chenglong Ma is currently a PhD student in College of Materials Science and Technology, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics (NUAA), PR China.

Rui Wang is currently a PhD student in College of Materials Science and Technology, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics (NUAA), PR China.

Hongmei Zhang is currently a PhD student in College of Materials Science and Technology, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics (NUAA), PR China.

Meng Guo is currently a PhD student in College of Materials Science and Technology, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics (NUAA), PR China.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China: [Grant Number 51735005]; Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions.