A novel bio-inspired lattice metamaterial for energy absorption and vibration mitigation

In response to the growing demand for sophisticated engineering applications, this study introduces a novel lattice metamaterial inspired by the lotus root shape, designed to simultaneously possess energy absorption and vibration mitigation properties. A lattice structure composed of 3x3x3 unit cells was developed and numerically analyzed to evaluate its energy absorption and vibration isolation capabilities. The proposed structure was fabricated using additive manufacturing technique and subjected to experimental testing to validate the numerical findings. Notably, the addition of struts to the lattice structure yields low-frequency vibration mitigation features. Furthermore, a comprehensive exploration of geometric parameters through numerical and experimental analysis provides valuable insights for tailoring the structure's performance. A graded lattice metamaterial is designed to further enhance energy absorption and vibration mitigation performance. The findings of this study suggest an effective approach for designing multifunctional metamaterial structures capable of addressing diverse engineering challenges.