Analysis of effective elastic parameters of natural bamboo honeycomb cell structure

Bamboo is an environmentally friendly building structural material. This work investigated the cavity structural characteristics and physical and mechanical properties of honeycomb sandwiches and natural bamboo in the longitudinal direction. The effective elastic parameters of periodically arranged hexagonal bamboo honeycomb cells under in-plane and out-of-plane loads were modeled using analytical and numerical approaches. Then, the effective elastic parameter model of bamboo honeycomb cells was validated by experiments and finite element analysis. The average errors between the calculated and experimental equivalent modulus of elasticity, Poisson’s ratio, and shear modulus in the three principal axis directions were 7.43, 4.37, and 8.68%, respectively. The average relativities between the model values of the elastic parameters of the bamboo honeycomb cell and the simulation results in the three directions were 5.46, 5.40, and 6.12%, respectively. The experimental and finite element analysis showed that the constructed effective elastic parameter model of the bamboo honeycomb cell better reflected the state of the bamboo core when subjected to force. This study provides insights for further research on the mechanical properties of bamboo materials and their application in bamboo-based lightweight and high-strength sandwich structures.