Investigations of the failure mode for additive manufactured interlocked interface structure based on X-Ray CT image guided finite element analysis and experimental comparisons

•Based on the idea of reverse modeling, a finite element modeling method for CT images is proposed.•NURBS is utilized to fit complex boundary of model, which can greatly improve the finite element computational efficiency while ensuring the accuracy of the model.•The mechanical properties and failure modes of interlocked structures were studied by experiments and simulations.•The failure mode of structure is related to arrangement of pores, which can be improved by adjusting the printing strategy.