A comparison of low carbon steel and Al–Mg alloy sheets in quasi-static tearing collisions

Through tearing test, the absorbed energy of a low carbon steel and an Al–Mg alloy sheets are compared. The tests are carried out quasi-statically using the wedge tools with different angles. Also, the effects of the inclination angle of sheet to vertical and angle between normal to sheet and edge of wedge are investigated on the energy absorption of both the steel and aluminum alloy. The results show that with increasing the later angles, the absorbed energy is decreased and with increasing the wedge angle, the energy is increased. Comparing the absorbed energy of the sheets with the same thicknesses, it is found that the energy absorption of the steel is higher than that of the aluminum alloy in mean value of 71%. Moreover, the absorbed energy of the aluminum alloy sheet of 2 mm thickness is placed between the absorbed energy of the steel sheets of 1 mm and 2 mm thicknesses. It is concluded that the absorbed energy of the aluminum alloy sheet of 2 mm thickness is the same as that of the steel sheet of 1.46 mm thickness.