Impact load mitigation of meta-panels with single local resonator

This study investigates the influence of design parameters on the impact mitigation capacity of a new meta-panel that leveraged the coupled mechanisms of plastic deformation and local resonance to absorb energy from impact loading. The main objective is to minimize the force to be transmitted to the protected structures through mitigating the stress wave propagation by using local resonators. The meta-panel demonstrates the capability of filtering out the stress wave induced by impact loading with frequencies falling in its bandgaps. A numerical model is built and verified by the analytical solution with a good agreement in terms of the predicted frequency bandgaps. The meta-panel shows a substantial reduction in the mid-span deflection of the facesheets and an increase in the impact energy absorption as compared with the conventional sandwich panels. The peak reaction force of the meta-panel transmitted to the protected structure is also reduced significantly by more than 47% compared to its conventional counterparts. Furthermore, parametric studies are conducted to investigate the effects of the thickness of the hollow-truss bar, core material properties, and impact velocity on the meta-panels impact-resistant behaviour.