Comparative study on destructive performance and energy absorption of aluminum tube by simulation and experiment

Yujia Chen ,Yaolong Chen,Jun Zha

doi:10.1177/1687814020924138

Abstract

This study conducted an investigation on transverse quasi-static three-point loading on a circular aluminum tube and its characteristic plastic failure and energy-absorption behaviors. The thin wall thickness of the aluminum tube, the various diameter and thickness ratios ( D/ t) of the tube, and the tube length are important control parameters. Experimental data for different span length and thickness ratios of the tube were characterized and correlated to its plastic collapse behavior. A simulation model by computational analysis using ANSYS was also conducted as a comparative study. The results of the study found that transverse three-point bend loading (ASTM F290) of a circular aluminum tube underwent different stages of deformation, from initial pure crumpling to crumpling and bending, and finally, structural rupture. The results of master curve analysis found that regions of high energy absorption and low energy absorption can be classified with respect to the characteristic tubular deformation. High energy absorption deformation is correlated with a short span length and higher D/ t ratio, and vice versa for low energy absorption deformation of the circular aluminum tube. Simulation analysis also predicted similar characteristic trends of deformation behavior in the experiment, with a less than 3% average coefficient of variation.

Highlights

The energy absorption and destructive behavior of materials and structures plays a key role in the safety of structures after impact
Experiments were conducted with four different diameter and thickness ratios (D/t) ratios and four different span sizes, and the aluminum tubes were precisely machined to a specific size
It is shown that the maximum energy absorption part of the aluminum tube passing the quasi-static three-point test is here

Summary

Introduction

The energy absorption and destructive behavior of materials and structures plays a key role in the safety of structures after impact. In practical projects such as aviation, aerospace, automobiles, rail vehicles, offshore platforms, highway guardrails, and nuclear power plants, due to the need for safety protection, engineers must have strict requirements on the energy absorption performance of the structure. Low carbon steel and aluminum alloys are commonly used materials. This article mainly analyzes and studies aluminum alloys. In Olabi et al.,[1] the energy absorber was studied in the form of a tubular deformation, mainly using low carbon steel and aluminum as test objects. The common behavior of its deformation is divided into five modes: lateral compression, transverse indentation, axial load, axial reversal, and axial split

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Results

Conclusion