Mechanical Behaviors and Bending Effects of Carbon Fiber Reinforced Lattice Materials

To acquire materials of higher specific stiffness and strength, stretching dominated lattice materials reinforced by carbon fibers were designed and manufactured. The mechanical behaviors were predicted and experimented. The imperfections of lattice materials, such as the waviness of the struts, non-circular cross-sections and cantilever ribs, greatly influenced their performance. The bending effects of the imperfections were predicted and compared with the experiment results. Although influenced by the imperfections, carbon reinforced lattice materials are still much stiffer and stronger than foams and honeycombs.