Energy Dissipation Mechanism of Lattice Bimaterial Structure under Low-Velocity Impact

Abstract

Impact protection through traditional material often requires large material volume, large deformation, or material fracture to reduce the energy transmitted to the protected body. A recoverable material with improved energy dissipation capability per unit volume is desired. In this study, a foam-infilled lattice bimaterial is proposed as a solution to achieve this goal. The bimaterial consists of visco-hyperelastic frame and foam materials. The experimental and simulation studies are performed to understand the impact energy dissipation mechanism. The effect of the interaction of two base materials on the bimaterial impact protection performance is investigated. It is found that the base material properties, volume fraction (VF), and the role of adding foam can have different effects on the bimaterial energy dissipation mechanism. The relation between the bimaterial effective property and the energy dissipation is substantiated. It is concluded that the bimaterial can be a valid solution for the design of recoverable impact protection devices. The conclusion from the current study can assist in the design and material selection of a more complicated bimaterial for a wide range of applications.