Energy absorbtion and mean crushing load of thin-walled grooved tubes under axial compression

In the present study, crashworthiness characteristics of thin-walled steel tubes containing annular grooves are studied. For this purpose, the grooves are introduced in the tube to force the plastic deformation to occur at predetermined intervals along the tube. The aims are controlling the buckling mode and predicting energy absorption capacity of the tubes. To do so, circumferential grooves are cut alternately inside and outside of the tubes at predetermined intervals. Quasi-static axial crushing tests are performed and the load-displacement curves are studied. Theoretical formulations are presented for predicting the energy absorption and mean crushing load. It is found a good agreement between the theoretical results and experimental findings. The results indicate that the load-displacement curve and energy absorbed by the axial crushing of tubes could be controlled by the introduction of grooves with different distances. Also, grooves can stabilize the deformation behavior and thus, the proposed method could be a good candidate as a controllable energy absorption element.     

A study of lateral collapse of square and rectangular metallic tubes

The paper presents an experimental and computational study of rectangular and square tubes made of aluminium and mild steel and subjected to quasi-static transverse loading. Deformed shapes at different stages, load–compression and energy–compression curves have been obtained experimentally. The deformation process was numerically simulated using finite element code FORGE2. The contours of different components of stress and strain rate tensors and nodal velocity have been plotted. Mechanics of deformation process, comparison of experimental and computed results and effect of process parameters on the mode of deformation are presented and discussed.     

Energy absorption in splitting square metal tubes

This paper presents an investigation into the energy absorbing behaviour of axially splitting square metal tubes. Tubes 50 mm square with a variable thickness were pushed slowly against rigid pyramid shaped dies, which had various semi-angles. By pre-cutting 5 mm long slits at the four corners, the tube splits along the corners and curls outward with a certain radius at a constant force. In this energy dissipating system, there are three components: tearing energy, plastic deformation energy and frictional energy. Theoretical analysis of the three energy components is presented. Curl radius is also studied in detail. Good agreement between experiments and theory is obtained. The results show that tubes which both split and curl may be used as efficient, long stroke energy absorbing devices.     

Energy absorption of axially compressed thin-walled square tubes with patterns

The paper suggests the introduction of patterns to the surface of conventional thin-walled square tubes to improve the energy absorption capacity under axial compressive loads. A quasi-static axial crushing analysis has been conducted numerically by the nonlinear explicit finite element code LS-DYNA. Two types of patterns constructed using the basic pyramid elements were introduced. Type A pattern was aimed at triggering the extensional mode for relatively thin square tubes whereas type B pattern was intended to develop new collapse mode capable of absorbing more energy during collapse. A total of 30 tubes with a length of 120 mm, thickness 1.2 mm and widths of 40 or 60 mm were simulated. Numerical results showed that all tubes with type A patterns developed the extensional collapse mode instead of the symmetric collapse mode and absorbed about 15–32.5% more energy than conventional thin-walled square tubes with a mass increase less than 5%. Meanwhile, a new collapse mode named octagonal collapse mode was observed for tubes with type B pattern and the energy absorption of tubes developing this mode increased by 54–93% compared with the conventional tube. The influence of various configurations of the patterns on the deformation and energy absorption of the tubes was also discussed. The paper opens up a new avenue in design of high energy absorption components.     

Attempts to improve energy absorption characteristics of circular metal tubes subjected to axial loading

In this paper, experimental investigation of two new structural design solutions with the aim of improving crashworthiness characteristics of cylindrical metal tubes is performed. In the first design method, a rigid steel ring is press-fitted on top of circular aluminum tubes. When this arrangement of dissipating energy is subjected to axial compression, the rigid ring is driven into the cylindrical tube and expands its top area; then, plastic folds start shaping along the rest of the tube length as the compression of the structure continues. In the second design method, wide grooves are cut from the outer surface of steel thick-walled circular tubes. In fact, this method converts thick-walled tubes into several thin-walled tubes of shorter length, being assembled together coaxially. When this energy absorbing device is subjected to axial compression, plastic deformation occurs within the space of each wide groove, and thick portions control and stabilize collapsing of the whole structure. In the present study, several specimens of each developed design methods with various geometric parameters are prepared and compressed quasi-statistically. Also, some ordinary tubes of the same size of these specimens are compressed axially to investigate efficiency of the presented structural solutions in energy absorption applications. Experimental results show the significant efficiency of the presented design methods in improving crashworthiness characteristics and collapse modes of circular tubes under axial loading.     

Quasi-static axial compression of concentric expanded metal tubes

Previous studies have demonstrated that the failure mechanism and energy absorption capacity of expanded metal tubes strongly depends on the orientation of the cells. This paper presents an experimental investigation on the collapse of concentric expanded metal tubes subjected to quasi-static axial compression. Square tubes with two different cell orientations are tested to failure, and the energy absorption characteristics are calculated. The results show that the combination of cell geometries lead to a complex buckling mode interaction, which enhances the energy absorption capacity of expanded metal tubes.     

Quasi-static axial and lateral crushing of radial corrugated composite tubes

This paper presents the effect of corrugation geometry on the crushing behavior, energy absorption, failure mechanism, and failure mode of woven roving glass fibre/epoxy laminated composite tube. Experimental investigations were carried out on three geometrical different types of composite tubes subjected to axial and lateral compressive loadings. On the addition to a radial corrugated composite tube, cylindrical composite tube, and corrugated surrounded by cylindrical tube were fabricated and tested under the same condition in order to know the effect of corrugation geometry. The results showed that the loading carrying capability is significantly influenced by corrugation geometry in axial crushing. However, no affect of corrugation geometry was observed for lateral crushing. Load–displacement curve was plotted for all conducted tests, thus clear comparison between different specimen's geometry was achieved. It is also found that radial corrugation could significantly applicable as a stable and effective energy absorber.     

Axial crushing analysis of end-capped circular tubes

The paper investigates collapse mechanisms and energy absorption capacity during the axial compression of the end-capped thin-walled circular aluminum tubes which are hollow or filled with polyurethane foam. An experimental technique is used to evaluate the crushing behavior of the circular tubes under compressive quasi-static strain rate. A numerical model is presented based on finite element analysis to simulate the crushing of circular tubes considering nonlinear response due to material behavior, contact boundary conditions and large deformation. The validated model using existing experimental results is used to evaluate the dynamic response in order to determine the dynamic amplification factor relating the quasi-static results to dynamic response. The experimental and numerical results are used to determine energy absorption capacity due to the plastic deformation of thin-wall tube and crushable foam. The performance of end-capped tubes is compared with non-capped tubes and it is found that maximum initial peak load can be controlled and convenient crash protection systems can be obtained using end-capped circular tubes.     

带肋方钢管混凝土柱偏心受压力学性能研究

在方钢管混凝土管壁内设置纵向加劲肋可提高其管壁的稳定性。采用有限元软件ABAQUS对带肋方钢管混凝土柱偏心受压荷载-变形全过程关系进行计算,计算得到的破坏形态和荷载-变形关系曲线与试验结果符合较好。在此基础上,通过典型算例从变形情况、荷载-变形全过程曲线、核心混凝土的纵向应力分布以及钢管与混凝土相互作用四个方面对带肋方钢管混凝土的工作机理进行分析,并且与相应的无肋方钢管混凝土进行对比。研究结果表明:加劲肋的设置可以增加钢管约束支撑点,减小鼓曲的横向变形值,增强核心混凝土与管壁之间的相互作用,进而有效地延缓构件局部屈曲,改善管壁的稳定性,提高构件的极限荷载;纵向加劲肋宽度越大,构件极限荷载越高,后期延性越好;加劲肋宽度设置应控制在一定范围,能获得较好的综合经济效果。     

Computer simulation and energy absorption of tapered thin-walled rectangular tubes

Tapered thin-walled tubes have been considered desirable energy absorbers under axial loading due to their relatively stable crush load and deformation response compared with straight tubes. This paper compares the energy absorption response of straight and tapered thin-walled rectangular tubes under quasi-static axial loading, for variations in their wall thickness, taper angle and number of tapered sides. Overall the study highlights the advantages of using tapered tubes as energy absorbers. In particular, the peak load required to crush the tubes decreases with the introduction of a taper, and as the taper angle increases. This is desirable for minimising the impact loads transmitted to the protected structure. The practical outcome of the study is design information for the use of tapered thin-walled rectangular tubes as energy absorbers in impact loading applications. Analysis has been undertaken using a finite element model, validated using existing theoretical and numerical models.     

Effects of boundary conditions on the energy absorption of thin-walled polymer composite tubes under axial crushing

Polymer composite tubes can be designed to absorb high levels of impact energy by progressive crushing. When a tube is crushed onto a flat platen, energy is absorbed by bending failure of the plies, delamination and friction mechanisms. In the present work, significant increases in energy absorption are shown when a shear mode of failure is initiated by crushing the tube onto a radiused plug (or initiator). A study of plug radius, R, normalised with respect to the tube wall thickness, t, in the range of 0R/t5 for circular tube diameter/thickness ratios of 10<D/t<33 was undertaken with continuous filament random mat glass/polyester composite. Different radii plugs lead to significantly different deformed shapes and crush zone morphologies. Large radius initiators (R/t>2) cause the tubes to split and energy is absorbed primarily through friction and axial splitting. As the initiator radius decreases, the amount of through-thickness shear damage in the fronds increases along with specific energy absorption (SEA). When the plug radius becomes small compared to the wall thickness (R/t<0.75) a debris wedge forms between the initiator and the tube and acts like a larger radius initiator. The highest energy absorption was seen to occur at R/t1 when through-thickness shear damage was induced. In this range, under static loading conditions, SEA was seen to be higher than that for tubes crushed onto a flat platen.     

Plastic buckling of dented steel circular tubes under axial compression: An experimental study

This paper examines the effect of large local imperfections, known as dents, on the plastic buckling capacity of short steel tubes under axial compression. A total of 11 tests on such short columns were carried out. The specimens were indented through a separate process and the ultimate axial capacity was subsequently obtained through compression tests. Dent imperfections with various depths were introduced to different locations on the body of the specimens. Plastic buckling modes as well as the ultimate capacity of the specimens were thoroughly investigated. The adverse effect of such a local damage on the load carrying capacity was quantified for different values and types of imperfections.     

Multiobjective crashworthiness optimization of circular aluminum tubes

This research deals with the development of circular aluminum tubes for crashworthiness. The dynamic crash responses of aluminum tubes are determined from the finite element simulation. In order to validate the FE results some dynamic impact test on aluminum tubes are performed. Multiobjective optimization technique is adopted to solve the problem of maximization of absorbed energy and specific absorbed energy of tubes. The D-optimal design of experiments [Atkinson AC, Donev AN, Optimum experimental designs. Oxford: Oxford Science Publications; 1992] and the response surface method are applied to construct an approximated design sub-problem and the optimization process is repeated until the convergence criteria are satisfied.     

轴压比对方钢管混凝土柱受力性能的影响

以BASE试件为基础设计了3个具有不同轴压比的ZY试件并进行了非线性有限元分析,研究表明柱轴压比不能太大,把柱的轴压比控制在0.5以内为佳,在方钢管的底部和底角部存在应力集中现象,对方钢管的底部应加大刚度,柱底角部应加强施焊。     

方钢管混凝土粘结强度试验研究

为了研究方钢管混凝土柱的粘结滑移性能,进行了9个不同长细比、宽厚比的方钢管混凝土柱的推出试验。通过测量荷载、加载端和固定端的钢管与混凝土滑移,并根据试验结果得出了典型P-s曲线,分析了影响方钢管混凝土粘结强度的主要因素,可对方钢管混凝土粘结滑移性能的进一步试验研究和理论分析提供参考。     

Experimental investigation of bitubal circular energy absorbers under quasi-static axial load

In this article, bitubal circular energy absorbers consist of two AL-6063-O tubes with unequal diameters placed coaxially and compressed under quasi-static axial load are studied experimentally. The effects of diameter and wall-thickness of each tube and the interaction between two tubes on the crashworthiness parameters are investigated in detail. In order to reduce the high value of peak load induced in the bitubal absorbers, two worthwhile solutions are proposed. The first one is to use two tubes with different lengths and the other one is to cut groove at the end portion of one of the tubes.     

配有双圆钢管的钢骨混凝土柱轴心受压承载力研究

针对配有双圆钢管的钢骨混凝土柱的轴心受压承载力分析方法进行了研究,基于核心区混凝土、外围混凝土和钢管、钢筋的材料本构关系,建立了钢骨混凝土柱的有限元分析模型,分析了轴心受压承载力的计算方法及原理,对已有的承载力计算公式进行了改进,并通过工程实例的计算结果与有限元分析结果的对比进行了验证。     

Experimental and numerical crashworthiness investigation of empty and foam-filled end-capped conical tubes

Foam-filled thin-wall structures exhibit significant advantages in light weight and high energy absorption. They have been widely applied in automotive, aerospace, transportation and defense industries. Quasi-static tests were done to investigate the crash behavior of the empty and polyurethane foam-filled end-capped conical tubes. Non-linear dynamic finite element analyses were carried out to simulate the quasi-static tests. The predicted numerical crushing force and fold pattern were found to be in good agreement with the experimental results. The energy absorption capacities of the filled tubes were compared with the empty end-capped conical tubes. The results showed that the energy absorption capability of foam-filled tube is somewhat higher than that of the combined effect of the empty tube and the foam alone. Finally, the crash performance of the empty and foam filled conical and cylindrical tubes were compared. Results from this study can assist aerospace industry to design sounding rocket carrier payload based on foam-filled conical tubes.     

方形薄壁钢管轻骨料混凝土短柱轴压性能的试验研究

介绍了以套箍系数ξ为控制因素的6组、共16根薄壁方钢管轻骨料混凝土短柱的轴压试验结果,阐述了其破坏现象及特征,讨论了其极限承载力、延性、荷载-位移曲线,回归了核心混凝土抗压强度提高系数关于ξ的数学表达式.