Experimental Investigation of Auxetic Structures

Subjected to Quasi Static Axial Load

Kadir Günaydın Zana Eren
Istanbul Technical University Istanbul Technical University
Faculty of Aeronautics and Astronautics Faculty of Aeronautics and Astronautics
Maslak, Istanbul, 34469, Turkey Maslak, Istanbul, 34469, Turkey
gunaydinka@itu.edu.tr erenza@itu.edu.tr

Fabrizio Scarpa
University of Bristol
Department of Aerospace Engineering
BS8 1TR, Bristol, UK
f.scarpa@bristol.ac.uk

Abstract—The purpose of this study is to examine the energy Lattice structures are used in many fields such as
absorption characteristics of two different auxetic honeycombs automobile industry, military applications, and space
that have negative Poisson’s ratio (NPR) subjected to an axial applications due to their vibration damping and impact
quasi-static load. The total mass and volume are kept nearly equal.
As the load-extension graphs are examined, it is observed a smooth absorbing capabilities. They are tailored structures and can be
transition of the peak forces during the crush for the second one produced in micro [11-23] and macro levels [3, 11, 14, 15].
which has more strut. On the other hand, first one has better Foam structures are also classified as lattice structures in micro
energy absorption capability.
level. In crash tube applications, foam materials are used as
Keywords—auxetic, axially loading, crashworthiness, energy micro-lattices to increase impact absorption capability of crash
absorption, peak force, anti-tetrachiral, re-entrant hexagonal tubes. On the other hand, macro level lattices are generally used
in sandwich structures as the core material. It is important to
I. INTRODUCTION measure crush efficiency of sandwich core applications for
determining how they are useful for space applications. Foams
Interest to crash and crush behaviour of vehicle parts is show positive Poison’s ratio, however, auxetic materials show
increasing closely related with their importance for the safety of negative Poison’s ratio which is very important for high energy
passengers and vehicle integrity. The impact can be encountered absorbing capability during impact situation [16-19].
in many fields such as automotive accidents, spacecraft. The
reason of the 25 percentages of injuries and deaths of worldwide
is traffic accidents. Especially, in spacecraft vehicles,
protection shields are used as a cuddle structure to prevent the
debris impact damages the main structures. Integration of foam
to cuddle structures shows a positive effect on the performance.
While foams are classified stochastic micro-lattice structures,
recently, the dynamic behaviour of macro lattices are being
researched because of their easy production by 3d printing [1-
3].
Orbital debris can reach velocities in between 10 to 20
km/sec. Therefore cuddle structures are needed. Whipple [4]
Fig. 1. Auxetic structures in deformed and undeforrmed states [19]
suggested a shield, so-called Whipple Shield, to protect the
vulnerable parts of the spacecraft. It consists of spaced thin The purpose of this study is to examine the energy
metallic plates. Hopkins and Swift [5] investigated 6 different absorption characteristics of two different auxetic structures
bumper metal and metal alloy material having different subjected to an in-plane axial quasi-static load. The peak forces
densities (0.85 to 16.6 g/cm3). They suggested that when the and total deflection are also investigated. The total mass and
density of material is below 2 g/cm3, the effectiveness of volume are kept nearly equal. Structures produced by using 3D-
material decreases. Several numerical and experimental studies printer.
have been conducted to improve shields [5-10].


ª
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 II. CRUSH THEORY

A brief discussion is necessary to explain the experimental

parameters about the energy absorption of crashworthy
structures.

• Specific energy absorption (SEA): the absorbed energy

per unit of crushed specimen mass and also the area
under the load-displacement curve.

  
(1)
Fig. 3. Auxetic structure 1 (anti-tetrachiral)
• Peak load (Ppeak): the highest load experienced the
during crush event and also the maximum point on the
load-displacement diagram.

• Average (mean) crush load (Pmean): the mean load of

the collapse. It is calculated as absorbed energy per
crush specimen length.


Fig. 4. Auxetic structure 2 (re-entrant hexagonal)
(2)
• Crush efficiency (ηc): the ratio of the average crush II. MATERIAL
load to peak load.
The most common material for 3D printing is

Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and it was used to
produce auxetic structures in this study. Mechanical
(3) properties of ABS changes during the production because of
• Stroke Efficiency (SE): the ratio of the maximum stroke heating and re-shaping, and also the raster orientation of the
length to original length [20, 21]. 3D printing. Figure 5 represents data on the issue.

(4)

Fig. 5. ABS tension test results after 3D printing [24]

III. 3D PRINTING

Defined geometries were produced by using Zortrax

M200 3D Printing device.

Fig. 2. Auxetic structures in deformed and underormed states [22]

Fig. 6. 3D printed auxetic structures

II. GEOMETRIES

Two different auxetic structure geometries determined
and modelled by using commercial CAD software. The depth
of both geometries are 28 mm and all the dimensions are given
in millimetre [3, 23].
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The first produced auxetic 1 has 12 lattice cell (3 columns and
4 rows) as well as auxetic 2 and they have same outline
dimensions as 72x56x28 mm. The weight of auxetic 1 is 43 gr
and volume is 17.75 cm3. Auxetic 2 has 23 gr weight and
volume is 8.77 cm3.
 III. RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS

All tests were conducted in same conditions with INSTRON

5980 100 kN Universal Testing System. The deformation velocity
for both experiments are 10 mm/min. Fig. 7 and Fig. 8 represent
the conducted experiments.

Fig. 10. Deformed auxetic structure 1 (anti-tetrachiral)

Fig. 7. Crushing of auxetic structures

Fig. 8. Crushed auxetic structures

As a result, compressive force and deflection graphs have been

obtained as in the Fig.9. There is a huge different comparing Fig. 11. Deformed auxetic structure 2 (re-entrant hexagonal 1)
the total energy that absorbed. Crushed anti-tetrachiral lattice
structure is shown in the Fig.10. The re-entrant hexagonal
structure was easily deformed due to its supports between
lattice cells as seen a deformed shape of re-entrant hexagonal
structure in Fig.11. There is very thin support between them
(0.3x2x10 mm). To increase absorbed energy, re-entrant
hexagonal was modelled again with new dimensions as seen in
Fig.12. Support between lattice structures extended along
through the whole geometry (28mm). The new weight and
volume becomes 34 gr and 18.99 cm3, respectively. Fig. 12. Auxetic structure 2 (re-entrant hexagonal 2)

As a result of the change in dimensions for re-entrant

hexagonal structures, support carries more load and it can be
seen the effect of those struts in the Fig.13.

Fig. 9. Re-entrant hexagonal and anti-tetrachiral auxetic structures load –

deflection graph

Fig. 13. First re-entrant hexagonal and second re-entrant hexagonal auxetic
structures load – deflection graph

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 [16] X. Zhang, H. Ding, L. An, and X. Wang, “Numerical Investigation on
Dynamic Crushing Behavior of Auxetic Honeycombs with Various Cell-
Wall Angles,” Adv. Mech., 2015.
[17] F. Scarpa, L. Ciffo, and J. Yates, “Dynamic properties of high structural
integrity auxetic open cell foam,” Smart Mater. Struct., 2003.
[18] J. Schultz, D. Griese, and J. Ju, “Design of honeycomb mesostructures for
crushing energy absorption,” J., 2012.
[19] A. Alderson and K. Alderson, “Auxetic materials,” Proc. Inst., 2007.
[22] E. Fuchs, F. Field, R. Roth, and R. Kirchain, “Strategic materials selection
in the automobile body: Economic opportunities for polymer composite
design,” Compos. Sci., 2008.
[21] D. Hull, “A unified approach to progressive crushing of fibre-reinforced
composite tubes,” Compos. Sci. Technol., 1991.
[22] H. Zhou, T. Attard, K. Dhiradhamvit, and Y. Wang, “Crashworthiness
Fig. 14. Deformed auxetic structure 2 (re-entrant hexagonal 2) characteristics of a carbon fiber reinforced dual-phase epoxy–polyurea
hybrid matrix composite,” Compos. Part B, 2015.
[23] Y. Chen, F. Scarpa, Y. Liu, and J. Leng, “Elasticity of anti-tetrachiral
anisotropic lattices,” Int. J. Solids, 2013.
IV. CONCLUSION [24 C. Ziemian, M. Sharma, and S. Ziemian, Anisotropic mechanical properties
of ABS parts fabricated by fused deposition modelling. 2012.
In this study, two types of auxetic lattice structures have been
experimentally investigated. In manufacturability scales of struts
were employed and their quasi static crushing response is
recorded via force deflection curves. Due to nature of ABS
plastic material, plastic collapse behavior can start earlier than
expected. Anti-tetrachiral lattices show more stiff response than
re-entrant hexagonal lattices. Knowing that auxetic lattices
previously were suggested in the literature for crash and energy
absorption applications, quasi static crushing investigation for
anti-tetrachiral and re-entrant-hexagonal lattices have been firstly
done. Further geometrical optimization on these struts will be
able applied in sandwich structures that are generally used in
aerospace area. As a future study, this type of lattices should be
investigated in higher velocities that are common in the space
vehicles.

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