Crashworthiness design of CFRP/AL hybrid circular tube under lateral crushing

Abstract

The metal hybrid method can effectively solve the problem of low energy absorption efficiency of CFRP under lateral crushing load, and the application prospect of the hybrid tube can be better explored through the related crashworthiness design. Therefore, the CFRP/AL hybrid circular tube parameters were analyzed in this paper and propose single, antisymmetric, and hybrid wrapping methods (Sap, Aap, and Hap). Based on the nonlinear progressive damage theory, the finite element model is established, considering intra- and inter-ply damage. The results show that the calculated results of the FE model are basically consistent with the experimental data, and can accurately capture the failure mode in the actual collapse. Increasing the wrapping angle can significantly improve the energy absorption of the CFRP/AL hybrid tube, with 40° antisymmetric wrapping (Aap-40) being the best, which can increase the specific energy absorption (SEA) by 54% compared with the initial hybrid tube. Finally, the parameters of the AL tube were studied, and the energy absorption mechanism of hybrid tubes with different thickness of the AL tube was revealed.