Modal analysis and testing of hexagonal honeycomb plates used for satellite structural design

The purpose of this paper is to perform a study of honeycomb panels used in the satellites structural design. All the analysis is based on clamped-free boundary conditions. In the present work, detailed finite element models for honeycomb panels are developed and analysed. Experimental tests were carried out on a honeycomb specimen of which the goal is to compare the previous modal analysis made by the finite element method as well as the existing equivalent approaches. The obtained results show a good agreement between the finite element analysis, equivalent and tests results; the difference in the first two frequencies is less than 4% and less than 10% for the third frequency. The results of the equivalent model presented in this analysis are obtained with a good accuracy. Moreover, investigations carried out in this research relate to the honeycomb plate modal analysis under several aspects including the structural geometrical variation by studying the various influences of the dimension parameters on the modal frequency, the variation of core and skin material of the honeycomb. The various results obtained in this paper are promising and show that the geometry parameters and the type of material have an effect on the value of the honeycomb plate modal frequency.

► In this work we perform modal analysis of honeycomb plates using finite element method.
► Experimental tests were carried out on a honeycomb specimen.
► Comparison was made between the previous modal analysis with the existing equivalent model approaches.
► We conclude that this work will help in the analysis and the design of complex satellite structures.