Title: Dynamic Energy Absorption and Crush Efficiency of Additively Manufactured Tubular Honeycomb Structures with Buckling Initiators

Authors: Grace Johnson, Colleen Murray, Norman Wereley

DOI:

Abstract: 3D-printing honeycomb (HC) structures allows for decreased manufacturing complexity, while providing opportunities to tailor the properties and design. Improving the crashworthiness of these structures will impact practices for the safety and protection of payloads and occupants undergoing collisions. In this study, tubular honeycomb (THC) structures were additively manufactured with buckling initiators (BIs) located at the top using acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS-R). These samples were impact tested on a Cadex Triaxial Monorail Impact Tester with sink rates up to 8.0 m/s. Samples with BIs were found to experience up to a 36.8% decrease in peak stress, and an increase of 36.5% in peak crush efficiency when compared to samples without BIs. This suggests that THC structures with BIs located at the top can increase the structure’s crush efficiency and ability to absorb energy.

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Conference: SAMPE 2026

Publication Date: 2026/04/27

SKU: 139

Pages: 14

Price: $28.00