Mechanical performance of fractal-like cementitious lightweight cellular structures: Numerical investigations

Cellular structures with tunable mechanical properties are promising lightweight structures for prefabricated construction. In this study, a 3D fractal structure named Menger-Sponge (MS) cube is analysed. Besides, six other alternative fractal-like structures are designed with respect to different shapes of their associated hollow sections. Finite element method (FEM) is employed to predict the structure's mechanical behaviours under a uniaxial compression load. The numerical model is validated by experimental results obtained from author's previous publication. Comparisons are made between triply periodic minimal surface (TPMS-Primitive) and the second-order MS cementitious structure, and also among other fractal structures with different hierarchies. Results indicate that the MS and Primitive blocks have similar mechanical responses. The fractal-square (FS) structures exhibit better structural performances, especially for the first and second fractal orders. Overall, this numerical investigation shows the effect of the shaped holes and thinnest cross-section area on the hierarchically porous structure.