In order to improve energy absorption abilities of carbon-fiber composite cone tubes to make composite energy-absorbing components achieve the best effect of energy-absorbing in engineering applications, the structural optimization of composite cone tubes was investigated. The influences of ratio (α/N) of conical degree (α) to number of ply(N) on the specific energy absorption (SEA) and the initial peak impact load (Pinitial) were studied. It was shown that with increase in α/N, SEA and Pinitial are both reduced; when α/N exceeds 0.54, the delamination no longer occurs in crushing process. Finally, a composite cone tube was manufactured according to the optimization results, the optimal results were validated with tests. Test results showed that after optimization, the tube's SAE increases 15.6% (from 67.9 J/g to 78.50 J/g), its Pinitial decreases 51.8% (from 52.3 kN to 25.2 kN), its mass decreases 22.4% (from 55.3 g to 42.9 g). © 2018, Editorial Office of Journal of Vibration and Shock. All right reserved.
