Static and dynamic bending collapse of thin-walled square beams with tube filler

Filling structures with foam filler is a typical method to increase the bending resistance of thin-walled beams. In this paper, a new type of tube filler is suggested with good cost-effectiveness and easy availability. Quasi-static and dynamic impact tests for bending of tube-filled beams with different configurations are carried out, and the deformation mode and force responses are investigated. Numerical simulation of the tests is also performed, and the accuracy is validated by the experimental results. The influences of some factors, including the perturbation in the position of the filler, the wall thickness of it, the number of them, and the punch diameter, on the bending resistance, are analyzed. A preliminary comparison between tube filler and foam filler is also conducted. Results show that tube fillers considerably improve the performance of thin-walled beams and outperform the aluminum foam filler in the present analysis.