Thickness effect study on the crushing characteristics of aluminum and composite tubes: Numerical analysis and multi-objective optimization

Abstract

Since lightweight and energy-absorbing materials have an effective role in occupant safety during accidents, the use of aluminum or composite tubes and their optimum designs are of great importance in crashworthiness. In this study, numerical simulation of crushing and multi-objective optimization of aluminum and composite cylinders are performed to evaluate the effects of tube thickness on the objective functions (the specific energy absorption and the peak force). Besides, the effects of annealing and tempering of ductile aluminum alloys (Al 6061) are investigated. The results show that annealing of ductile aluminum alloys yields a significant reduction in objective functions. With the same thickness of the aluminum and composite shell, the composite tube exhibits proper results in terms of both peak load and energy absorption. Finally, it seems that in the design of crash boxes, a thicker composite tube leads to more appropriate results than aluminum shell.