Vibration and damping properties of lattice structures filled with silicone rubber

Abstract By introducing silicone rubber into the gaps of the lattice structure, which is a high specific strength periodic three-dimensional topological structure, a hybrid structure composed of polymer and metal lattice materials can be created that simultaneously displays functional properties like energy dissipation and vibration suppression. In this work, a combination of finite element analysis, Modal Strain Energy approach, and experiments were employed to study the vibration and damping behavior of both the lattice structure and the hybrid structure. According to the study, the results of the finite element analysis are consistent with those of the experiments, and this approach can be used to analyze the dynamic behavior of such structures. The hybrid structure performs better than the lattice structure in terms of damping, and the use of silicone rubber lessens the lattice structure’s dynamic response, minimizing fatigue and resonance-related structural damage.