Investigation Of Energy Absorption Characteristic of Origami Inspired 3D-Printed Sandwich Honeycomb Structures

Abstract

The energy absorption characteristics of origami inspired honeycomb structures under low velocity impact and quasi static compression loading conditions are investigated in this study. Three configurations were examined: Origami inspired Honeycomb (OH) and Modified Origami inspired Honeycomb (MOH) with smoothed corners. Fused deposition modeling with PETG material was used to fabricate the structures and they were subjected to drop weight impact testing according to ASTM D7136 standard and compression testing according to ASTM C365 standard. Finite element analysis using Abaqus/Explicit and experimental testing revealed that the Modified Origami-inspired Honeycomb demonstrated superior energy absorption characteristics compared to traditional and conventional origami designs. The MOH structure exhibited a 45.9% longer impact duration (0.0410 seconds) compared to the Traditional Honeycomb (0.0281 seconds), indicating more efficient energy distribution. While the MOH showed a lower peak load of 15,000 N compared to TH's 33,500 N under compression, it maintained a more stable plateau load of 13,000 N versus OH's 6,500 N, suggesting improved energy absorption sustainability. The incorporation of smoothed corners in the MOH design effectively reduced stress concentrations and promoted more uniform deformation patterns, resulting in a 42.3% increase in maximum deformation capacity compared to the traditional design. The study demonstrates that geometric modifications in origami-inspired honeycomb structures can significantly enhance their energy absorption efficiency and structural stability, although these improvements come with increased manufacturing complexity. These findings contribute to the development of improved impact-resistant structures and provide insights into the relationship between geometric design parameters and energy absorption characteristics in honeycomb structures. The research has implications for applications in aerospace, automotive, and other industries where efficient energy absorption and impact protection are crucial.