Energy absorption behavior of filament wound CFRP origami tubes pre-folded in Kresling pattern

Abstract

Pre-folded tubes can exhibit superior energy absorption characteristics under axial crushing compared to conventional straight-walled tubes. However, their construction can be difficult to automate. In this investigation, we present a novel filament winding approach to efficiently manufacture pre-folded carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) tubes featuring the Kresling fold pattern. We experimentally study the quasi-static axial crushing behavior of three Kresling geometries and compare them to conventional tubes with a circular and square cross-section. The data from experiments is used to develop a finite element model for estimating axial crush indicators. Despite the layup sequence not orienting the fibers in the direction of loading, we obtain superior structural performance in terms of the mean force divided by the initial peak crushing force, which represents the crushing force efficiency of the structure. The tested tubes exhibit further potential to improve their energy absorption performances, while preserving enhanced manufacturability.