Nature-inspired Protective Structures against Impulsive Loading

Abstract

This thesis presents four novel energy-absorbing structures for protective applications against impulsive loading by mimicking the structural features and mechanisms found in nature. Each nature-inspired design exhibits sound crushing efficiency and unique energy absorption mechanisms under various crushing scenarios. These include an excellent energy-absorbing structure with loading rate insensitivity of the peak crushing force, innovative structures with adaptive energy absorption performance and ideal crushing efficiency, and an energy-absorbing device with recoverable capability.