Development of novel hybrid TPMS cellular lattices and their mechanical characterisation

Abstract

Uniform lattices composed of one type of lattice structure repeated periodically have been extensively investigated in literature for their mechanical and physical properties. Their promising properties, which include a desirable combination of high strength, stiffness and toughness, suggest that hybrid structures made of two or more lattice types can exhibit even more advantageous and desired properties. In this work, the mechanical properties of hybrid cellular structures designed using implicit functions are investigated both experimentally and numerically. Two proposed samples are investigated comprised of a Gyroid and a Diamond unit cells hybridised linearly and radially. First, a finite element computational model was utilised in LS-DYNA to capture the mechanical properties of the additively manufactured constituent lattices (i.e., Gyroid and Diamond) made of stainless steel 316L and tested under dynamic and quasi-static loading conditions. The model was validated for three different relative densities. Then, the validated computational model was then tested to predict the mechanical behaviour of the proposed hybrid lattices. Finally, the proposed hybrid lattices were fabricated and mechanically tested to obtain their mechanical properties. A good agreement between experimental and computational results was achieved. The validated computational models will be used to evaluate other designs of TPMS lattices and their crashworthiness performance for protective equipment applications.