Crashworthiness assessment of auxetic foam-filled tube under quasi-static axial loading

Abstract

This present study investigates experimentally and numerically the crush response and energy absorption performances of auxetic foam-filled square tubes under quasi-static axial loading. Three different structures: empty, conventional and auxetic foam-filled square tubes have been compared and examined with respect to the deformation modes and load–displacement curves. Standard compression tests were conducted on the tubes to evaluate the influence of auxetic foam in the energy absorption of empty tubes. Moreover, results from computer simulation have also been supplemented to further examine the abovementioned effect. It is discovered that the auxetic foam-filled square tube is superior to empty and conventional foam-filled square tubes in terms of all studied crashworthiness indicators.