Honeycomb cores are extensively used in space structure for their high stiffness to mass ratio and excellent energy attenuation capability. Traditionally, hexagonal honeycombs are used in spacecraft construction, but with rapid development in additive manufacturing, other core shapes with higher specific stiffness can be now be considered as an alternative. The authors of this paper had previously evaluated triangular cores to have higher or comparable specific moduli as compared to other 2D core shapes. In order to consider triangular cores as an alternative, this work aims to study the mechanical failure behavior and energy absorption capability of triangular cores and compare it with that of hexagonal core using finite element software ABAQUS/Explicit. Analysis is performed to study the elastic-plastic failure of cores under in-plane and out-of-plane compressive loading, and transverse shear loading. It was observed that for the light weight cores used for space applications, hexagonal cores outperform triangular cores having the same cell size and relative density. Hexagonal cores fail at higher stress levels and higher strains, as well as have higher energy absorption capability.
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