Energy absorption of axially crushed expanded metal tubes

•Expanded metal tubes have a great potential for energy absorbing applications.•The investigation is performed trough finite element analysis.•Peak loads and energy absorbed depend on the number of cells in the cross-sections.•Concentrical tubes could be an effective mean to enhance energy absorption capacity.

Expanded metal tubes have a great potential for energy absorbing applications. A study on the energy absorption capacity of axially compressed expanded metal tubes is conducted herein; the investigation is performed trough nonlinear finite element analyses. At first, the numerical models are validated with experimental results, thereafter a parametric study is carried out in order to investigate the effects of the length-to-diameter ratio, on both the peak forces and the energy absorption capacity of the tubes. The numerical results are also compared with those obtained using a mechanical model found in the literature. Finally, it is found that peak loads and energy absorption capacity depends on the number of expanded metal cells in the cross-section. The results also show that, concentrical expanded tubes could be an effective mean to enhance energy absorption capacity.