Design and regulation of mechanical response of a novel lattice structure with two-stage deformation

With the development of science and technology, most existing lattice structures with single-stage deformation are unable to meet the complex multi-task engineering requirements. In this work, a novel face-centered cubic (NFCC) lattice structure with two-stage deformation was introduced based on the face-centered cubic plate lattice structure and its quantitative geometry-performance relationship. Theoretical calculations and finite element simulations were adopted to analyze the deformation behavior and mechanical response of NFCC, and the quantitative relationship between the geometric parameters and the mechanical response and energy absorption characteristics was established. The results show that the structural modifications not only enable the NFCC to exhibit a remarkable dual-plateau stress in its mechanical response, but also enhance its specific energy absorption compared to the face-centered cubic plate lattice structure. By adjusting the geometric parameters, the plateau stress and specific energy absorption of each plateau stage can be programmed effectively, providing a reliable theoretical basis for the meso-structure design of NFCC. Additionally, the NFCC demonstrates superior specific energy absorption, significantly outperforming various existing steel-based metamaterials and previous multi-stage deformation lattice structures. In contrast to previous trial-and-error and empirical methods, the design of the NFCC is function-oriented and guided by mechanics, providing an efficient design strategy for multifunctional lattice structures.