Modal analysis of 3D-printed PA12 TPMS lattices incorporating sigmoid transition zones

Modal behavior is a critical aspect of architected lattices and is required to characterize the modal and vibrational responses of the structures. This work presents a combined numerical and experimental study on the modal analysis of 3D-printed PA12 TPMS-architected lattices with sigmoid transition zones. Finite element simulations were performed to estimate natural frequencies and mode shapes, while experimental modal tests were performed using piezoelectric sensors and hammer excitation. Numerical predictions were validated against the experimental results with reasonable agreement. The study further investigated the role of sigmoid transition zones, including placement of parent TPMS geometries within these transitions, as well as the effect of volume fraction on dynamic response. Among the configurations studied, GDP consistently showed the best low-frequency performance (except at VF80, where GPD was marginally better), while PDG dominated at high frequencies in all volume fractions. PGD was identified as the least effective overall, never achieving dominance. These findings provide structure–performance relationships and design guidelines for tailoring the dynamic behavior of architected TPMS lattices.