Mean out-of-plane dynamic plateau stresses of hexagonal honeycomb cores under impact loadings

Double-walled hexagonal honeycomb cores (DHHCs) are important cushioning materials and their out-of-plane impact properties depend upon their configuration parameters and impact velocities. In this paper, the reliable finite element (FE) model by using ANSYS/LS-DYNA was designed to investigate the relations between configuration parameters of DHHCs and their out-of-plane dynamic plateau stresses at the impact velocities from 3 to 350 m/s. FE simulations demonstrate, when all configuration parameters are kept constant, mean out-of-plane dynamic plateau stresses are related to impact velocities by conic curves. For a given impact velocity, mean out-of-plane dynamic plateau stresses are related to the ratios between cell wall thickness and edge length and to edge length ratios by power laws. There are complicated relations between mean out-of-plane dynamic plateau stresses and expanding angels, which are discussed in detail. Many empirical expressions on mean out-of-plane dynamic plateau stresses of DHHCs are suggested.