Mechanical response and energy absorption characteristics of origami-inspired honeycomb under quasi-static compression and dynamic impact

The origami structures have received increasing attention in recent years due to the high stiffness ratio and lightweight feature. This paper has proposed an origami-based honeycomb structure and investigated the mechanical properties of the structure. The compression response and energy absorption of the structure under quasi-static loading have been investigated experimentally and numerically. The numerical results closely matched the experimental results in terms of the compression force curve and deformation patterns. The effects of different structural parameters on the mechanical response and energy absorption characteristics were analyzed with the validated model. Finally, the comparative results show that the origami-inspired honeycomb structure, which is characterized by rotational folding mode under axial compression, has better performance in terms of mechanical response and energy absorption. Two parameters, the thickness and the height have a greater influence on the structural performance, and the angle of rotation has a lesser influence. This structure can have a better application prospect in the energy-absorbing box, B-pillar, door sill beam and other parts of the car.