The crush resistance of four-panel angle elements

•Four-panel angle elements are classified into four types.•The influence of geometric parameters on crush resistance is investigated.•Theoretical models are established for different collapse modes of elements.•Theoretical predictions show good agreement with numerical results.•Experiment is carried out to validate numerical and theoretical models.

Four-panel angle elements are frequently encountered in multi-cell sections. To predict the energy absorption of such sections under axial loading, theoretical models have to be established for possible collapse modes of these elements. In this paper, four-panel angle elements are classified into four types: corner element, K-shaped, X-shaped and tree-shaped element. The influence of geometric parameters and type of triggers on collapse modes and crush resistance of these elements was firstly investigated numerically by using LS-DYNA. Theoretical models were then established for most commonly developed collapse modes of each type of four-panel angle elements. Elements with different width, thickness and angles were analyzed to validate the proposed models and the theoretical predictions by these models showed good agreement with numerical results. In addition, axial crushing test of two multi-cell sections with K-shaped elements was carried out quasi-statically and the experimental results validated the good accuracy of the present numerical and theoretical models.

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