Effect of corrugated panel geometry on the bending stiffness of engineered cellular timber beams

Cellular structures offer a novel approach to achieving lightweight, high-performance structural beams. A critical factor influencing their bending stiffness is the configuration of the cellular structure, which is governed by the geometry of the corrugated panels. In this study, the effect of the geometric parameters of the corrugated panel on the bending stiffness of the cellular beam was investigated using ABAQUS finite element software. Five parameters were studied, including corrugation angle, depth, thickness, bonding length, and unit cell length. Due to the interdependent nature of these parameters, where modifying each one inevitably affects at least one other, eight cases were investigated through a systematic parametric study to assess their collective influence on bending stiffness. The impact of each parameter on bending stiffness was evaluated, and their relative effectiveness was compared to determine the most critical design parameters. Increasing the bonding length, unit cell length, and thickness improved bending resistance, while a greater depth had a negative effect. Additionally, the corrugation angle was found to work well at extreme angles but not at intermediate angles. A new corrugated panel geometry was proposed based on insights from the finite element analysis and considering manufacturing feasibility. The designed corrugated panel was then fabricated using an aluminum matched-die mold to produce a cellular beam, verifying the design process. Results revealed that the experimental bending stiffness of the manufactured cellular beam differed by 6% from that of the beam designed through a parametric study.