Article ID Journal Published Year Pages File Type
832865 Materials & Design (1980-2015) 2009 11 Pages PDF
Abstract

Foam-filled thin-walled tubes are considered to be desirable energy absorbers under axial loading due to their higher energy absorption compared with empty tubes. This paper treats the axial crushing and energy absorption response of foam-filled conical tubes under quasi-static axial loading, using non-linear finite element models. Influence of important parameters such as wall thickness, semi-apical angle and density of foam filler was investigated and the results highlight the advantages of using foam-filled conical tubes as energy absorber. Results also indicate that the crush and energy absorption performances of conical tubes are significantly enhanced by foam filling. The primary outcome of the study is new research information and development of empirical relations which will facilitate the design of foam-filled conical tubes as energy absorbers in impact applications.

Related Topics
Physical Sciences and Engineering Engineering Engineering (General)
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