Quasi-static and dynamic crushing behaviors of aluminum and steel tubes with a cutout

Tubular members are commonly used as an energy absorber in engineering structures and many such members have a cutout. In this study, the crushing behaviors of tubes with a cutout are characterized and the effects of cutout on the energy absorption capabilities of these tubes are quantified. Systematic parametric studies were carried out to study the effect of material properties, including yield and ultimate strength of material, strain rate effect, location of cutout, tube length and impact speed on the crushing behaviors and energy absorption capacity of aluminum and steel tubes. First, a numerical model was constructed with a commercial explicit finite element code. It will be first proven that the numerical simulation can produce sufficiently accurate results in an economic manner. Subsequently, the crushing behavior of aluminum and steel tubes with a cutout was experimentally characterized and their energy absorption capacity was evaluated in terms of mean crushing force, peak crushing force and specific energy absorption (SEA). Tubes of various lengths with a cutout located at different locations, subject to both quasi-static and dynamic impact loadings were considered. For steel tubes, the numerical simulation investigated the influence of the strain rate effect and variation in strain hardening ratio of the material. Empirical equations describing the mean and peak crushing forces of aluminum and steel tubes with a cutout were developed using linear and nonlinear regression methods applied to the results obtained from the numerical and experimental studies.