Quasi-static compression and energy absorption performance of a hexa-arm honeycomb with different arrangement pattern

A hexa-arm honeycomb unit cell derived from a traditional honeycomb structure is proposed in this study. Through the periodic arrangement of the unit cell in a two-dimensional plane, four distinct honeycomb configurations are constructed: high density hexa-arm honeycomb (HHAH), orthogonal hexa-arm honeycomb (OHAH), inclined hexa-arm honeycomb (IHAH), and staggered distributed hexa-arm honeycomb (SHAH). Their deformation patterns and compression behaviors under quasi-static in-plane compressive loading are systematically investigated. Specimens are fabricated using 3D printing and subjected to quasi-static compression tests, numerical simulation models are established to validate the experimental results. Quantitative validation shows good agreement between experiments and simulations with high repeatability. The SHAH structure exhibits superior mechanical properties: compared with a conventional hexagonal honeycomb, its specific energy absorption is up to 155% higher. All four structures show positive Poisson’s ratios. The hexa-arm honeycomb demonstrates a dual-stage deformation pattern during compression: the initial elastic stage is characterized by coordinated deformation of the entire structure, whereas further compression transitions into a second stage involving local failure or layer-by-layer collapse. The effects of different structural parameters on deformation patterns and specific energy absorption are also explored. These research findings provide valuable references for engineering applications of this type of honeycomb structure.