Impact and blast performance enhancement in bio-inspired helicoidal structures: A numerical study

We develop a numerical investigation on the dynamic loading mitigation performance of Bouligand inspired bionic structures subjected to striker impacts and explosion induced blast overpressure loadings. A novel computational modelling approach based on Timoshenko beam theory as well as nonlinear Hertz contact theory has been employed to predict the nonlinear dynamic response of the bio-inspired helicoidal structures. The load attenuation mechanism of the biomimetic architected material has been uncovered and analyzed quantitively. The proposed models have been validated with accurate predictions being provided when compared with the experimental data in terms of the transmitted force and stress wave-time history. Numerical study on various parameters has also been performed to examine the effect of system configurations, material/geometrical characteristics and loading modes on the mitigation performance of the specific structures. The results open up new feasibilities for weakening the impulse transmission effectively by designing bio-inspired structures, which could be used to improve mechanical protection level for defense applications. The characteristics have also been qualitatively investigated using the models proposed in the present paper. This work interprets the possibility that the concept of the structural bionic design is used in the structural design on the load-bearing capacity.