Abstract
Abstract The present research introduces a new configuration of thin-walled nested tube structure as a possible energy absorber subjected to lateral compression. The nested-tube structures were configured in a system comprising of four tubes arranged in different ways. All the nested systems were quasi-statically compressed in the lateral direction on a universal mechanical tester to obtain their energy absorption characteristics. Two modes of deformation, asymmetric mode referred to as “overlap” and symmetric mode referred to as “side-by-side”, were identified in the four-tubes nested systems. The specific energy absorbed by the inverted four-tubes systems was larger than that of the three-tubes nested systems by 20%. The experiments were also modelled using ABAQUSv6.13. Good correlations were obtained for the deformation modes and the corresponding lateral crush force-displacement. The validated model was thereafter used in parametric study to investigate the effectiveness of the nested system under two different boundary conditions; rotation of the specimen by different angles and impact at different angles.
Highlights
Thin-walled tubes have been shown to be efficient energy absorbers and are widely used in crashworthiness applications
The effect of geometrical and loading parameters on the deformation modes and the energy absorption capacity of these nested systems were further examined using a validated finite element model that was developed in Abaqus v6.13
The results showed that the variation in the mean lateral crush force of the inverted four-tubes nested system that collapsed in either the side-by-side or overlap mode was about ± 5%
Summary
Thin-walled tubes have been shown to be efficient energy absorbers and are widely used in crashworthiness applications. DeRuntz and Hodge [1963] reported on the mechanical behaviours of a thin-walled tube under lateral compression load using a rigid-perfectly plastic material model and a four-hinge deformation mode. Reid and Reddy [1979] extended their studies to investigate the effect of side constraints so that the diameter of the tube could not increase horizontally This “closed system” was shown to absorb three times the amount of energy at any given deflection when compared to an open system, tube without any lateral constraints. As reported by Reddy and Reid [1979], the energy absorption capacity of the single tube can be enhanced significantly by applying the concept of external constrains This phenomenon was been demonstrated in the nested system by Morris et al [2006] who analysed the responses of constrained nested systems. Geometrical and loading parameters on the deformation modes and the energy absorption capacity of these nested systems were further examined using a validated finite element model that was developed in Abaqus v6.13
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