Research on the Parametric Design of Origami Honeycomb Structures for Ship Collision Protection of Inland Waterway Bridges

As China’s inland waterway bridge construction grows， ship collisions frequently damage piers. Honeycomb structures—lightweight， high-strength， and effective at absorbing energy—are promising for pier collision protection. However， traditional straight hexagonal honeycombs have weak in-plane performance and require additional guides for oblique ship impacts； while existing origami honeycombs enhance in-plane strength， they lack out-of-plane strength， failing to meet practical needs. This study used the mid-plane offset method to develop a parametric modeling framework for origami honeycombs. The framework classified the structures into three types （A， B， and C）， defined their three-dimensional morphologies as being governed by five core parameters， and investigated the influence of key parameters on structural performance. Finite element simulations were conducted to compare the in-plane and out-of-plane compressive performance between origami honeycombs and traditional straight honeycombs. A detailed analysis of the parameter influence on mechanical properties was further performed for the superior configuration. The results indicated that Type B origami honeycomb offers the optimal overall performance by effectively balancing “peak force reduction” and energy absorption requirements. Moreover， specific parameter combinations were identified to achieve a balance between structural performance and cost-effectiveness. This research provides a critical reference for parameter optimization and engineering application of origami honeycombs in the field of bridge collision protection， holding significant practical value for enhancing the safety of inland waterway bridge piers against ship impacts.