Analytical and Finite Element Investigation of Elastic Properties of Elliptical Cell Honeycomb Plates

Cellular solids are extremely used in aerospace industries and civil infrastructures due to their low weight/strength index that leads to decrease in total weight and fuel consumption. Determination of mechanical properties of these structures is absolutely essential for structural design fulfillment. In this paper the calculation of in-plane elasticity properties of elliptical cell honeycomb composite structure is investigated. In this regard at the beginning, by using free body diagram of the smallest repeating unit of cell, the forces and moments applied on unit cell are obtained; and then by using strain energy theory and Castigliano's theory, the in-plane elastic constants are obtained. For validation of theory results, by using the ABAQUS finite element program, the elliptical honeycomb is simulated and by using normal and shear loading conditions and obtaining stresses and strains, the elastic constants are calculated and compared with theory amounts. The results show that the relation of the macroscopic Young's modulus and the macroscopic shear modulus are directly proportional to the thickness of the cell wall and inversely proportional to the small diameter of the ellipse.