Physics

Finite element method

Nonlinear system

Biocomposite

Mathematics

Solid mechanics

Structural engineering

Composite number

Mathematical optimization

Software engineering

Machine learning

Engineering

Pareto principle

Composite material

Optimal design

Materials science

Crashworthiness

Computer science

Quantum mechanics

Multi-objective optimization

Mechanical engineering

Metamodeling

International Journal of Mechanics and Materials in Design

Bio-inspired engineering design has drawn increased attention in recent years for the excellent structural and mechanical properties of the biological systems. In this study, the horsetail-bionic thin-walled structures (HBTSs) were investigated for their crashworthiness under axial dynamic loading. Six HBTSs with different cross section configurations (i.e., number of cells) were evaluated using nonlinear finite element (FE) simulations. To obtain the optimal design of the HBTSs, an ensemble metamodel-based multi-objective optimization method was employed to maximize the specific energy absorption while minimizing maximum impact force of the HBTSs. Using the ensemble metamodeling, FE simulations and the NSGA-II algorithm, the Pareto optimum designs of all six HBTSs were obtained and the HBTS with 16 cells were found to have the best crashworthiness. An optimum design of the HBTS with 16 cells was verified using FE simulation and found to have good agreement with simulation results.

Crashworthiness design of horsetail-bionic thin-walled structures under axial dynamic loading