Abstract
In pursuit of the development of lightweight biomimetic functional–structural materials, this study investigated the flexural properties and failure characteristics of end-trabecular beetle elytron plates (EBEPs) as well as the flexural mechanism and the role of the trabeculae. The results were as follows: (1) The EBEP specimens showed better ductility performance after the peak load was reached, and their specific elastic strength and specific flexural strength were similar to those of honeycomb plates (HPs). In an EBEP before failure, the lower skin in the same location as the load was significantly stretched, and the trabeculae in the core showed two failure modes: destruction by means of slant cracks and vertical cracks. (2) The failure mechanism of the trabeculae in an EBEP was investigated by qualitatively analyzing the load and deformation of the parts adjacent and nonadjacent to the loading point. From the macro point of view, the cores of EBEP and HP are continuous. These cores can not only bear tension with lower skins, but also divide upper skins into much smaller parts and play a role as reinforcing ribs. The equivalent trabeculae in EBEP are closed ended, the honeycomb walls are narrow, and these two parts can support and constrain each other.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Herrmann AS, Zahlen PC, Zuardy I (2005) Sandwich structures technology in commercial aviation: present applications and future trends. Springer, Berlin
Kong XH (2010) Tensile mechanical properties of metal honeycomb sandwich structure with interface connection defects. Proc SPIE 7644:764421-1–764421-8
John M, Skala T, Wagner T, Schlimper R, Rinker M, Schäuble R (2013) Dimensional changes in CFRP/PMI foam core sandwich structures. Appl Compos Mater 20:601–614
Deshpande VS, Ashby MF, Fleck NA (2001) Foam topology: bending versus stretching dominated architectures. Acta Mater 49:1035–1040
Sha ZD, He LC, Pei QX, Liu ZS, Zhang YW, Wang TJ (2014) The mechanical properties of a nanoglass/metallic glass/nanoglass sandwich structure. Scripta Mater 83:37–40
Manshadi BD, Vassilopoulos AP, Keller T (2016) Post-wrinkling behavior of webs in GFRP cell–core sandwich structures. Compos Struct 138:276–284
Wang DM, Bai ZY (2015) Mechanical property of paper honeycomb structure under dynamic compression. Mater Des 77:59–64
Wang DM, Liang N, Guo YF (2019) Finite element analysis on the out-of-plane compression for paper honeycomb. J Strain Anal 54(1):36–43
Samad WA, Warsame AA, Khan A (2018) An experimental study on the edgewise compressive failure of paper honeycomb sandwich panels with respect to various aspect ratios. IOP Conf Ser: Mater Sci Eng 346:012040. https://doi.org/10.1088/1757-899X/346/1/012040
Kadir NA, Aminanda Y, Ibrahim MS, Mokhtar H (2018) Experimental study of low-velocity impact on foam-filled Kraft paper honeycomb structure. IOP Conf Ser: Mater Sci Eng 290:012082. https://doi.org/10.1088/1757-899X/290/1/012082
Wang DM, Bai ZY, Liao QH (2018) 3D energy absorption diagram construction of paper honeycomb sandwich panel. Shock Vib. https://doi.org/10.1155/2018/4067062
Cai LC, Zhang DY, Zhou SH, Xu W (2018) Investigation on mechanical properties and equivalent model of aluminum honeycomb sandwich panels. J Mater Eng Perform 27(12):6585–6596
Xiao Y, Hu YF, Zhang JG, Song CS, Liu ZB, Yu JG (2018) Dynamic bending responses of CFRP thin-walled square beams filled with aluminum honeycomb. Thin-Walled Struct 132:494–503
Zhang QN, Zhang XW, Lu GX, Ruan D (2018) Ballistic impact behaviors of aluminum alloy sandwich panels with honeycomb cores: an experimental study. J Sandw Struct Mater 20(7):861–884
Ma XM, Li X, Li SQ, Li RJ, Wang ZH, Wu GY (2019) Blast response of gradient honeycomb sandwich panels with basalt fiber metal laminates as skins. Int J Impact Eng 123:126–139
Balaji G, Annamalai K (2018) Crushing response of square aluminium column filled with carbon fibre tubes and aluminium honeycomb. Thin-Walled Struct 132:667–681
Riccioa A, Raimondoa A, Saputoa S, Sellittoa A, Battaglia M, Petroneb G (2018) A numerical study on the impact behaviour of natural fibres made honeycomb cores. Compos Struct 202:909–916
Sahu SK, Badgayan ND, Samanta S, Sahu D, Sreekanth PSR (2018) Influence of cell size on out of plane stiffness and in-plane compliance character of the sandwich beam made with tunable PCTPE nylon honeycomb core and hybrid polymer nanocomposite skin. Int J Mech Sci 148:284–292
Studziński R (2017) Optimal design of sandwich panels with hybrid core. J Sandw Struct Mater. https://doi.org/10.1177/1099636217742574
Arbaoui J, Moustabchir H, Pruncu CI, Schmitt Y (2016) Modeling and experimental analysis of polypropylene honeycomb multi-layer sandwich composites under four-point bending. J Sandw Struct Mater 20(4):493–511
Xiang JW, Du JX, Li DC, Scarpa F (2017) Numerical analysis of the impact resistance in aluminum alloy bi-tubular thin-walled structures designs inspired by beetle elytra. J Mater Sci 52(22):13247–13260. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-017-1420-z
Hao P, Du JX (2018) Mechanical properties of bio-mimetic energy-absorbing materials under impact loading. J Mater Sci 53(5):3189–3197. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-017-1798-7
Alantali A, Alia RA, Umer R, Cantwell WJ (2017) Energy absorption in aluminum honeycomb cores reinforced with carbon fiber reinforced plastic tubes. J Sandw Struct Mater. https://doi.org/10.1177/1099636217727145
Xie ZH, Zhao W, Wang XN, Hang JT, Yue XS, Zhou X (2017) Low-velocity impact behavior of titanium honeycomb sandwich structures. J Sandw Struct Mater 20(8):1009–1027
Bach MR, Chalivendra VB, Alves C, Depina E (2015) Mechanical characterization of natural biodegradable sandwich materials. J Sandw Struct Mater 19:482–496
Kiran MPS, Balasundar I, Gopinath K, Raghu T (2017) Parametric study on factors influencing the stiffness of honeycomb sandwich panels using impulse excitation technique. J Sandw Struct Mater 21(1):115–134
Matsuka M, Ono M, Kitano H, Gokan N, Matsumoto T (1992) Insects biology. Tamagawa University, Tokyo
Herburn HR, Ball A (1973) On the structure and mechanical properties of beetle shells. J Mater Sci 8(5):618–623. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00561216
Kundanati L, Signetti S, Gupta HS, Menegon M, Pugno NM (2018) Multilayer stag beetle elytra perform better under external loading via non-symmetric bending properties. J R Soc Interface 15(144). https://doi.org/10.1098/rsif.2018.0427
Zhang ZJ, Wu W, Jin T, Sun JY (2017) Relationship of hydration and nanomechanical characteristics of beetle cuticle. Bioinspired Biomim Nanobiomater 6(3):161–167
Sun JY, Wu W, Liu C, Jin T (2017) Investigating the nanomechanical properties and reversible color change properties of the beetle Dynastes tityus. J Mater Sci 52(11):6150–6160. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-017-0895-y
Sun JY, Wu W, Song ZL, Tong J, Zhang SJ (2019) Bio-inspirations for the development of light materials based on the nanomechanical properties and microstructures of beetle Dynastes tityus. J Bionic Eng 16:154–163
Xiang CT (1994) Mechanism of natural composite materials and composite materials research Coleoptera insects bionic design—it’s gradual microstructure and mechanical behavior. Ph.D. thesis, Chongqing University, China
Xiang CT, Fan JH (1994) On the strengthening and toughening mechanism of natural composites and research of biomimetic composites. Adv Mech 24:220–232
Chen B, Yang XK (1997) Study of the genus Donaciolagria Pic from China (Coleoptera: Lagriidae). Entomol Sin 4:121–128
Chen B, Peng XH, Fan JH (2000) Microstructure of natural biocomposites and research of biomimetic composites. Acta Mater Compos Sin 17(3):59–62
Chen B, Peng XH, Fan JH, Chin J (2003) Fiber-reinforce characteristics of chafer cuticle and research on structure of branched fiber. Mater Res 17(6):630–636
Chen JX (2001) Fundamental study on biomimetics composites. Ph.D. thesis, Kyoto Institute of Technology
Chen JX, Wu G (2013) Beetle forewings: epitome of the optimal design for lightweight composite materials. Carbohydr Polym 91:659–665
Chen JX, Xie J, Guan JS, Zhu H (2012) The molds and method for manufacturing integrated trabecular-polygonal grill honeycomb sandwich plates, Patent 201010228680.4, CN
Chen JX, Zu Q, Wu G, Xie J, Tuo WY (2015) Review of beetle forewing structures and their biomimetic applications in China: (II) on the three-dimensional structure, modeling and imitation. Mater Sci Eng C 55:620–633
Chen JX, Zhang XM, Okabe YJ, Xie J, Xu MY (2019) Beetle elytron plate and the synergistic mechanism of trabecular–honeycomb core structure. Sci China Technol Sci 62(1):87–93
Chen JX, Zhang XM, Okabe YJ, Saito K, Guo ZS, Pan LC (2017) The deformation mode and strengthening mechanism of compression in the beetle elytron plate. Mater Des 131:481–486
Yu XD, Pan LC, Chen JX, Zhang XM, Wei PX (2019) Experimental and numerical study on the energy absorption abilities of trabecular–honeycomb biomimetic structures inspired by beetle elytra. J Mater Sci 54(3):2193–2204. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-018-2958-0
GB/T 1456-2005 (2005) Test method for flexural properties of sandwich constructions
Acknowledgements
This work is financially supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China under 51875102 and National Key R&D Program of China under 2017YFC0703705.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Publisher's Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Xu, M., Pan, L., Chen, J. et al. The flexural properties of end-trabecular beetle elytron plates and their flexural failure mechanism. J Mater Sci 54, 8414–8425 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-019-03488-7
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-019-03488-7