Hierarchical composite honeycombs

Abstract Hierarchical structures are predicted to have ultra-light weight and superior mechanical properties, including excellent anti-buckling ability and energy absorption capability. Based on the improvement of making technology, hierarchical composite honeycombs (HCHs) have been designed, made and tested. With woven textile sandwich walls, the HCH is ultra-light and renders relatively ideal complete stress–strain curve with a stable displacement plateau at a relative high stress level in compression. A plastic model was suggested based on tested failure maps to reveal the plastic deformation and energy absorbing mechanism of the HCH. The plastic model well fitted the tested curves and defines a lower limit of the plastic deformation curve.