Numerical and Experimental Investigation of Natural Frequency and Damping Coefficient of Flexible Cellular Lattice Structures

Cellular lattice structures encompass a class of metamaterials characterized by the arrangement of interconnected struts and/or plates, offering an adaptable microstructure that enables a broad range of property control. These structures have garnered significant attention for their distinctive properties and have found widespread application across industries such as aerospace, medical, pharmaceutical, automotive, defense and safety. This study seeks to explore the impact of geometric parameters on the natural frequency and damping coefficient of cellular lattice structures. Samples featuring BCC and OCTET architectures with varying porosities were initially produced using fused deposition modeling (FDM). Subsequently, both experimental and numerical analyses were conducted to assess the first natural frequency and damping coefficient of these materials. Comparison of the numerically obtained results with experimental data revealed a strong agreement. The findings indicate that, for both BCC and OCTET lattices, an increase in porosity is associated with a decrease in both natural frequency and damping coefficient.