Mechanical properties and energy absorption of reinforced lattice structures

Lattice structures exhibit lightweight, high stiffness, and exceptional energy absorption capability, which can be used in aerospace applications. However, most of the lattice structures contain uniform lattice unit cells with a single topology. In this study, a novel class of reinforced lattice structures is proposed. The reinforced lattice structures are composed of original body-centered cubic (BCC) and reinforced BCC with a z-direction strut (BCCZ) unit cells. Three distinct reinforced lattice structures are designed and fabricated based on different reinforcement patterns. The quasi-static compression tests are conducted to investigate their stress-strain curves, failure mechanisms, mechanical properties, and energy absorption. The results demonstrate that the proposed reinforced design strategy simultaneously enhances the stiffness, strength, and energy absorption, highlighting its potential for lightweight components in aerospace applications.