Design, fabrication, and analysis of lattice exhibiting energy absorption via snap-through behavior

In this study, an energy absorption lattice, comprised of multiple tetra-beam-plate unit cells with negative stiffness, was designed, fabricated by selective laser sintering method, and analyzed both numerically and experimentally. Snap-through behavior of the unit cell developed due to negative stiffness caused by geometric nonlinearity from large deflection of the constituent elastic beams, resulting in energy absorption. A criterion for the unit cell to achieve the snap-through behavior was investigated numerically in terms of the beam slenderness ratio and the inclined angle. This approach was chosen to facilitate control of energy dissipation performance and further design space such as tuning force threshold. The unit cell with the selected geometric parameters was then created and used to construct the energy absorption lattice. Load-displacement relationships of the lattices obtained from cyclic loading tests disclosed an area enclosed by two distinct loading and unloading curves, which indicates energy dissipation. This was shown both numerically and experimentally. Drop tests were also performed to investigate energy loss of the lattices due to an impact. An energy absorption phenomenon was revealed by observing a reduced rebound height when the lattice exhibited the snap-through behavior. (C) 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.