Compressive failure modes and parameter optimization of the trabecular structure of biomimetic fully integrated honeycomb plates

•Compressive failure and mechanical properties of fully integrated honeycomb plates (FIHPs) were first investigated.•Morphological failures were caused mainly by stress concentration and secondly by the disordered short fiber distribution.•FIHPs specific compressive strength was superior to that of similar bionic samples.•An bionic design method was point out to develop FIHPs with better compressive property.•A range of parameters, such as the diameter of the transition arc, was defined for enhancing the design.

To develop lightweight biomimetic composite structures, the compressive failure and mechanical properties of fully integrated honeycomb plates were investigated experimentally and through the finite element method. The results indicated that: fracturing of the fully integrated honeycomb plates primarily occurred in the core layer, including the sealing edge structure. The morphological failures can be classified into two types, namely dislocations and compactions, and were caused primarily by the stress concentrations at the interfaces between the core layer and the upper and lower laminations and secondarily by the disordered short-fiber distribution in the material; although the fully integrated honeycomb plates manufactured in this experiment were imperfect, their mass-specific compressive strength was superior to that of similar biomimetic samples. Therefore, the proposed bio-inspired structure possesses good overall mechanical properties, and a range of parameters, such as the diameter of the transition arc, was defined for enhancing the design of fully integrated honeycomb plates and improving their compressive mechanical properties.

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