Abstract
An expansion tube is an ideal energy absorber which dissipates kinetic energy through plastic deformation and friction. There is an urgent need to understand the influence of key parameters such as the semi-angle, tube material, and friction coefficient on the mechanical characteristics of expansion tubes. In the present work, the material properties of expansion tubes were tested under quasi-static loading conditions, and numerical simulations were carried out using a commercial software ABAQUS. The validated finite element simulations revealed that the energy absorption capacity of an expansion tube is significantly affected by the semi-angle, tube material, and friction coefficient. An expansion tube with a parent material of high tensile stress and high tensile stress/density has high energy absorption capacity and high specific energy absorption, respectively. This work would serve as guidance to the structural design and parent material selection for expansion tubes.
Highlights
Tubular energy absorbers are promising energy absorption structures and have attracted significant attention in the field of energy absorption device design.1–5 Researchers have carried out numerous studies on circular and square tubes.6,7 The failure modes8,9 of tubular energy absorbers can be divided into three types: buckling,8,10 tearing,11 and expansion.12,13 As shown in Fig. 1, when there is an impact load on the expansion tube, the cone piston is compressed into the tube in an expansion successful mode.14Since the piston external diameter is larger than the inner diameter of the tube, the piston compression gives rise to elastic and plastic deformation of the tube
Due to the homogeneous deformation mechanism,14,15 constant expansion force,16 irreversible plastic deformation,17,18 lightweight, and high energy absorption capacity,1 expansion tubes have been frequently applied in many engineering fields9,19,20 including aircraft, aerospace, transportation, and building, which involves material cushioning
To validate the numerical finite element models (FEMs) of the expansion tube, the tubes with α = 21.80○, Lc = 5 mm, and D = 34 mm were selected for the diameter expansion experiments
Summary
Tubular energy absorbers are promising energy absorption structures and have attracted significant attention in the field of energy absorption device design. Researchers have carried out numerous studies on circular and square tubes. The failure modes of tubular energy absorbers can be divided into three types: buckling, tearing, and expansion. As shown in Fig. 1, when there is an impact load on the expansion tube, the cone piston is compressed into the tube in an expansion successful mode.. Choi et al. reported the mechanical characteristics of expansion tubes with different semi-angles and discovered that the semiangles were inversely proportional to the shear friction factor. The relationship between the tube material and its mechanical response has not been established These existing research studies are insufficient guides in the design of an expansion tube. This work, focuses on the influence of the semi-angle, tube material, and friction coefficient on the mechanical characteristics of expansion tubes through a combined approach of numerical simulation and experiment.. This work made improvements in the structural design and selection of parent materials of expansion tubes
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