Quasi-static and dynamic experiment investigations on the crashworthiness response of composite tubes

Crashworthiness performance of carbon and glass composite tubes have been comprehensive investigated under quasi-static and dynamic axial crush testing. In this study, collapse modes and specific energy absorption (SEA) of different ply orientation of carbon fabric composites and unidirectional glass tubes were analyzed. For the weaker tensile strength and bending strength of glass composites, crack propagated approximately perpendicular to the fiber direction when the ply angle was small. Large amount of fibers breakage made the specific energy absorption over 80 kJ/kg under dynamic load. Thickness effect had inverse influence on SEA under different impact rate. The specific energy absorption declined as tube thickness increased under dynamic crush tests, however, increased under quasi-static tests. Hybridization of glass/carbon tubes and carbon/carbon composites were analyzed by increased the axial fiber content. It was found that hybridization tubes of G803/3234 fabric and G827/3234 axial tapes with higher G827/3234 content present excellent energy-absorption capability under dynamic and quasi-static tests for all specimens tested. POLYM. COMPOS., 34:1099-1109, 2013. (c) 2013 Society of Plastics Engineers