Investigation of compressive deformation behaviors of cubic periodic cellular structural cubes through 3D printed parts and FE simulations

Purpose This paper aims to clarify the relationship between mechanical behaviors and the underlying geometry of periodic cellular structures. Particularly, the answer to the following research question is investigated: Can seemingly different geometries of the repeating unit cells of periodic cellular structure result in similar functional behaviors? The study aims to cluster the geometry-functional behavior relationship into different categories. Design/methodology/approach Specifically, the effects of the geometry on the compressive deformation (mechanical behavior) responses of multiple standardized cubic periodic cellular structures (CPCS) at macro scales are investigated through both physical tests and finite element simulations of three-dimensional (3D) printed samples. Additionally, these multiple CPCS can be further nested into the shell of 3D models of various mechanical domain parts to demonstrate the influence of their geometries in practical applications. Findings The paper provides insights into how different CPCS (geometrically different unit cells) influence their compressive deformation behaviors. It suggests a standardized strategy for comparing mechanical behaviors of different CPCS. Originality/value This paper is the first work in the research domain to investigate if seemingly different geometries of the underlying unit cell can result in similar mechanical behaviors. It also fulfills the need to infill and lattify real functional parts with geometrically complex unit cells. Existing work mainly focused on simple shapes such as basic trusses or cubes with spherical holes.