Dual-level stress plateaus in honeycombs subjected to impact loading: perspectives from bucklewaves, buckling and cell-wall progressive folding

Dual-level stress plateaus (i.e., relatively short peak stress plateaus, followed by prolonged crushing stress plateaus) in metallic hexagonal honeycombs subjected to out-of-plane impact loading are characterized using a combined numerical and analytical study, with the influence of the strain-rate sensitivity of the honeycomb parent material accounted for. The predictions are validated against existing experimental measurements, and good agreement is achieved. It is demonstrated that honeycombs exhibit dual-level stress plateaus when bucklewaves are initiated and propagate in cell walls, followed by buckling and progressive folding of the cell walls. The abrupt stress drop from peak to crushing plateau in the compressive stress versus strain curve can be explained in a way similar to the quasi-static buckling of a clamped plate. The duration of the peak stress plateau is more evident for strain-rate insensitive honeycombs.