A synergistic arched lattice-honeycomb sandwich metastructure: Balancing impact resistance and thermal management

Key findings from this study

• The study found that arch ratio parameters a/b = 1.5 combined with c/d = 1.1 or 1.3 yielded the highest comprehensive performance scores.
• The researchers demonstrate that the proposed sandwich metastructure reduced impact stress from over 500 MPa to below 300 MPa when applied to high-speed train equipment flooring.
• The authors report that thermal management improvements of 25%-31% were achieved in equipment surface temperature without sacrificing structural impact resistance.

Overview

This work proposes a multifunctional sandwich metastructure combining arched lattice and honeycomb cores to simultaneously enhance impact resistance and thermal dissipation. Two configurations—Honeycomb-Arch Lattice-Honeycomb (HAH) and Honeycomb-Symmetry Arch Lattice-Honeycomb (HSAH)—were designed and evaluated across varying arch ratios. The Complex Proportional Assessment method evaluated performance using residual velocity, peak crushing force, Nusselt number, friction factor, and pressure drop. Arch geometry parameters critically influence the balance between protective and thermal functionalities.

Methods and approach

The researchers systematically evaluated impact resistance and thermal dissipation performance across different arch ratio configurations. The Complex Proportional Assessment (COPRAS) method quantified comprehensive performance using five metrics: residual velocity (v), peak crushing force (PCF), Nusselt number (Nu), friction factor (f), and pressure drop (ΔP). Assessment identified optimal arch ratio parameters: a/b = 1.5 paired with c/d = 1.1 or 1.3. Both experimental and numerical methods validated the structural and thermal behavior of each configuration.

Results

Optimal configurations achieved the highest comprehensive evaluation scores (Qi) at a/b = 1.5 with c/d = 1.1 or 1.3. When applied to high-speed train equipment compartment flooring, maximum impact stress decreased from over 500 MPa in the original corrugated structure to below 300 MPa. Steel sphere residual velocity decreased substantially following impact events. The proposed metastructure simultaneously achieved 25%-31% reduction in equipment surface temperature compared to baseline designs.

Implications

The synergistic lattice-honeycomb design demonstrates feasibility of achieving dual structural and thermal objectives within a single metastructure. The substantial stress reduction and residual velocity decrease indicate enhanced energy absorption capacity during impact events. Temperature reduction through improved thermal dissipation expands application domains where thermal management constraints previously limited high-performance protective designs. The approach establishes arch geometry parametrization as a critical design variable for multifunctional metastructure optimization.

Scope and limitations

This summary is based on the study abstract and available metadata. It does not include a full analysis of the complete paper, supplementary materials, or underlying datasets unless explicitly stated. Findings should be interpreted in the context of the original publication.