Parametric design and energy absorption of non-uniform classic honeycombs mapped by topology optimization

In this article, a non-uniform design method mapped by density-based topology optimization is proposed and applied to the classic hexagonal honeycombs. A parametric investigation is conducted to explore the effect of crucial factors on the in-plane and out-of-plane crashing behaviors and energy absorption of the non-uniform honeycomb mapped by topology optimization. Compared to classic hexagonal honeycombs, the in-plane specific energy absorption of the non-uniform honeycomb mapped by topology optimization is improved by 29.1%, and its peak stress is decreased by 16.9%. Meanwhile, the out-of-plane specific energy absorption is increased by 19.8% without a significant rise in peak stress.