Simulation of thin-walled double hexagonal aluminium 5754 alloy foam-filled section subjected to direct and oblique loading

Abstract

This paper presents the numerical study of the dynamic loading on the thin-walled tube made of aluminium alloy. The non-linear finite element was used to simulate and to predict the crushing phenomenon of the structure subjected to dynamic loading. The study deals with the energy absorption of empty and aluminium foam-filled double thin-walled hexagonal tubes under axial crushing load. The specimen is a regular hexagonal tube which consists of an outer and inner tube. The outer tube was fixed at a perimeter of 360 mm with a side of 60 mm each. While different inner perimeters were used. The paper studied two types of structures, the empty double hexagonal tubes and foam-filled tubes. The multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) process, the complex proportional assessment method (COPRAS) was used to select the best specimen. Although it has 17% lower specific energy absorption, the specimen of inner side tube of 45 mm with foam (H-D-F) was the best crashworthiness performance was selected as the best one since it has 64% lower peal force, 33% higher in CFE and reduction in specimen mass by 30%.