Structure Design and Mechanical Properties of Novel Honeycombs Bumper with Various Densities for Underwater Robot of Port

Abstract

In this paper, honeycomb bumpers with various densities were proposed, which absorb impact energy and provide support in engineering application of underwater robot of port. The Honeycomb bumper was based on Double Arrowhead Wings Honeycomb (DAWH) cell, which were mainly composed of double arrowhead honeycombs cell and fused with re-entrant honeycombs connection. In order to achieve longitudinal variable density and gradient design, the number of cell layers, cell size, number of cells, and connection positions in the longitudinal direction of the honeycomb dumpers exhibited difference. The finite element model of honeycomb dumpers with three typical densities based on equivalent method were established and selected matrix of polyurethane with resistant to seawater corrosion. The mechanical properties, energy absorption characteristic, dynamic response, and structure efficiency of honeycomb dumpers were studied with rubber bumper. The mechanical properties, energy absorption, deformation mode, section plane, and strain energy were recorded and discussed. The stress and energy absorption of the structure increased with the increase of cell combination diffusion angle and cell density. Honeycomb dumpers possessed a cost similar to rubber bumper but significantly greater performance, which were of great significance for the application of underwater robot of port and coastal engineering.