Study on the mechanical performance and energy absorption characteristics of structures with varying cross-sections and negative Poisson ratio
WANG Jie
LIN Lisheng
PANG Qingqing
CAO Zheng
ZHANG Jianzhuo
Abstract：[Objective]To design a variable cross-section double-arrow negative Poisson ratio honeycomb structure(referred to as variable cross-section structure),and to reveal the influence of cross-sectional variation rate on its mechanical properties and energy absorption characteristics,providing theoretical support for its engineering application in buffering and energy absorption.[Methods]The relationship between cross-sectional variation rate and relative density was derived based on the geometric parameters of the unit cell.An equivalent constitutive model of the variable cross-section structure was established using the bending strain energy equivalence theory of variable and uniform cross-section beams.A finite element model was developed in Ansys/Ls-Dyna for quasi-static compression analysis,and the model accuracy was validated through quasi-static loading tests on 3D-printed specimens.Furthermore,the in-plane impact response,plateau stress,and energy absorption characteristics were investigated under different impact velocities(20,35,70,120 m/s)and cross-sectional variation rates(α=0,0.2,0.4,0.6,0.8).[Results]The analytical solutions,numerical simulations,and experimental results showed good agreement,validating the accuracy of the constitutive model and FEA model.Impact velocity significantly affects the impact characteristics:increasing velocity enhances the elastic modulus and prolongs the plateau stress stage.A higher cross-sectional variation rate increases the overall structural stiffness and delays the negative Poisson ratio effect,making local deformation more difficult.The cross-sectional variation rate is positively correlated with energy absorption rate.Compared with the uniform cross-section structure,the variable cross-section structure exhibits 42.1％and 13.8％higher specific energy absorption under impact velocities of 20 m/s and 70 m/s,respectively.The optimal energy absorption performance occurs when α is between 0.4 and 0.6.The variable cross-section structure reduces overall weight without compromising mechanical properties and significantly enhances energy absorption capacity.
Keywords：Varying cross-sectionNegative Poisson ratio structureEquivalent mechanical modelIn-plane impact responsePlatform stressEnergy absorption characteristic
Publication Date：2026-07-31
Online Publishing Date：2026-09-12(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：10( 127-136 )