Lattice metamaterials attract interest due to tailorable mechanical responses from engineered microstructures, but conventional designs face a strength versus stable energy absorption tradeoff. Inspired by deformation twinning, this study designs Square‐Twins (ST) and Rhomb‐Twins (RT) lattices by coupling twin‐like interfaces with deliberate unit‐cell orientation to address this. Quasistatic compression and drop‐weight impact tests, plus finite‐element simulations, examine their compressive properties and low‐velocity impact characteristics. Compared to a baseline square lattice, the twin‐constrained lattices suppress local buckling and stress concentration through cooperative collapse and crack bifurcation or blunting. Quasistatically, the ST lattice achieves simultaneous increases of 48.8% in specific energy absorption (SEA), 52.8% in specific plateau stress, 43.4% in specific modulus, and 59.5% in compression force efficiency (CFE) compared to the baseline. Meanwhile, the RT lattice provides a smoother stress transition and highly stable energy dissipation. Under impact, ST maintains excellent load capacity and energy dissipation, with specific strength increased by 34.5%, while RT reduces initial stress fluctuations for smoother stress growth. ST shows moderated rate sensitivity, and RT is intermediate. These results provide a mechanism‐guided route to balance strength and stability in lightweight crash‐protective lattice components across strain rates.
Li et al. (Thu,) studied this question.