Additively Manufactured Bio-Inspired Battery Frames for Improved Crashworthiness of Electric Vehicle Battery Systems
Faculty Mentor
Prof. Hossein Taheri
Location
Russell Union Ballroom
Type of Research
Published
Session Format
Poster Presentation
College
Allen E. Paulson College of Engineering & Computing
Department
Manufacturing Engineering
Abstract
The growing integration of lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles (EVs) necessitates protective enclosure systems that combine lightweight characteristics with superior crash resistance. Conventional battery frames often face limitations in balancing structural strength, energy absorption, and manufacturing flexibility. Additive manufacturing offers new opportunities to fabricate complex hierarchical geometries that are otherwise unattainable using traditional fabrication methods.
This study presents the design and additive manufacturing of a bio-inspired multilayer battery frame derived from the hierarchical architecture of bighorn sheep horns, structures naturally optimized for high-energy impact resistance. The proposed frame incorporates graded external and internal morphologies to enhance load distribution and damage tolerance.
Specimens were fabricated using Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) with Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) and Carbon Fiber Composite (CFC) materials to investigate the combined effects of material selection and structural architecture. Mechanical performance was evaluated through tensile, compression, and Izod impact testing, while Digital Image Correlation (DIC) provided full-field strain mapping. Acoustic Emission (AE) monitoring enabled real-time detection of damage initiation and progression.
Results demonstrate that additively manufactured bio-inspired frames exhibit superior energy absorption, improved stress distribution, and more progressive failure mechanisms compared with conventional solid designs. The integration of bio-inspired design principles with additive manufacturing enables the development of lightweight, structurally efficient battery protection systems for next-generation electric vehicles.
Program Description
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Start Date
4-23-2026 10:00 AM
End Date
4-23-2026 12:00 PM
Recommended Citation
Salimi Beni, Arefeh, "Additively Manufactured Bio-Inspired Battery Frames for Improved Crashworthiness of Electric Vehicle Battery Systems" (2026). GS4 Student Scholars Symposium. 31.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/research_symposium/2026/2026/31
Additively Manufactured Bio-Inspired Battery Frames for Improved Crashworthiness of Electric Vehicle Battery Systems
Russell Union Ballroom
The growing integration of lithium-ion batteries in electric vehicles (EVs) necessitates protective enclosure systems that combine lightweight characteristics with superior crash resistance. Conventional battery frames often face limitations in balancing structural strength, energy absorption, and manufacturing flexibility. Additive manufacturing offers new opportunities to fabricate complex hierarchical geometries that are otherwise unattainable using traditional fabrication methods.
This study presents the design and additive manufacturing of a bio-inspired multilayer battery frame derived from the hierarchical architecture of bighorn sheep horns, structures naturally optimized for high-energy impact resistance. The proposed frame incorporates graded external and internal morphologies to enhance load distribution and damage tolerance.
Specimens were fabricated using Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) with Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) and Carbon Fiber Composite (CFC) materials to investigate the combined effects of material selection and structural architecture. Mechanical performance was evaluated through tensile, compression, and Izod impact testing, while Digital Image Correlation (DIC) provided full-field strain mapping. Acoustic Emission (AE) monitoring enabled real-time detection of damage initiation and progression.
Results demonstrate that additively manufactured bio-inspired frames exhibit superior energy absorption, improved stress distribution, and more progressive failure mechanisms compared with conventional solid designs. The integration of bio-inspired design principles with additive manufacturing enables the development of lightweight, structurally efficient battery protection systems for next-generation electric vehicles.
