A comparative study on mechanical and vibroacoustic performance of sandwich cylindrical shells with positive, negative, and zero Poisson's ratio cellular cores

Deep-sea submersibles are significant mobile platforms requiring multi-functional capabilities that are strongly determined by the constituent materials. Their cylindrical protective cover can be advanced by designing their sandwiched cellular materials whose physical properties can be readily parameterized and flexibly tuned. Porous honeycomb materials are capable of possessing tuned positive, negative, or zero Poisson's ratios (PPR, NPR, and ZPR), which is expected to produce distinct physical performance when utilized as a cellular core of cylindrical shells for the deep-sea submersibles. A novel cylindrical meta-structure sandwiched with the semi-re-entrant ZPR metamaterial has been designed as well as its similarly-shaped sandwich cylindrical shell structures with PPR and NPR honeycombs. The mechanical and vibroacoustic performance of sandwich cylindrical shells with cellular materials featuring a full characteristic range of Poisson's ratios are then compared systematically to explore their potential for engineering applications on submerged pressure-resistant structures. The respective unit cells are designed to feature an equivalent load-bearing capability. Physical properties of pressure resistance, buckling, and sound insulation are simulated, respectively, and the orders of each property are then generalized by systematic comparison. The results indicate that the PPR honeycomb core takes advantage of higher structural strength and stability while the ZPR one yields better energy absorption and sound insulation behavior. The NPR one yields moderate properties and has the potential for lower circumferential deformation. The work explores the application of cellular materials with varied Poisson's ratios and provides guidance for the multi-functional design of sandwich cylindrical meta-structures.