Investigation into quasi-static compressive behaviors of several kinds of honeycomb like structures in three axial directions

The natural bees' honeycombs maintain long-term structural stability in harsh environments, employing a highly material-efficient approach. However, the reasons remain somewhat ambiguous. To clarify the stabilization mechanism and investigate quasi-static compression responses of double-layer ordered cellular structures, honeycomb, T ' oth and single-layer cellular structures with a relative density (rho r) of 25.84 % were fabricated using 3D printing technology. Then, quasi-static compression experiments in three directions were conducted. Further, a numerical study was conducted to uncover the stabilization mechanism and effect of rho r on compressive be-haviors. Results revealed that the stabilization mechanism was mainly attributed to bearing load priority of intermediate layer and its inhibition on formation of plastic hinges. A relative density of 5.17 % served as a transition point for deformation mode, beyond which honeycomb and T ' oth structures exhibited stronger in-plane compressive strength at expense of less sacrificed out-of-plane compressive strength, below which they both exhibited more stable compressive curves compared to single-layer cellular structures, which were favorable for energy absorption. This study clarifies the stability mechanism of bees' honeycombs and addresses the lack on compression behaviors of double-layer ordered cellular structures. Moreover, it introduces two available bionic structures with controllable deformation modes to expand the application of single-layer cellular structures.