Analytical and experimental studies on quasi-static axial crush behavior of thin-walled tailor-made aluminum tubes

In this paper, the crush behavior of segmented circular tubes, made of aluminum alloy 6061 and subjected to quasi-static axial loading, has been analytically and experimentally investigated. Crush behavior of these tubes was modeled by integrating available analytical models and superposition principle. In the certain overall length of segmented circular tubes, effects of changing the wall thickness and length of each segment on the energy absorption characteristics have been evaluated. One successful approach toward obtaining lightweight energy absorbers with high energy absorption capacity is the use of thin-walled Tailor-Made Tubes (TMTs). In these tubes, the thickness and mechanical properties of the wall vary along the length of the tube. Applying these tubes; crush force can be controlled by changing the length and thickness of each tube segment, improving the performance of energy absorbing systems. Results of this research showed that Tailor-made tubes have higher energy absorption capacity at identical crush lengths, and they can absorb more energy per unit weight compared to simple tubes with constant wall thickness and mechanical properties. Moreover, for the same specific energy absorption, the TMTs exhibit a considerable reduction in the magnitude of the mean and initial maximum crush forces. With the use of TMTs, the maximum crush force shifts to the end of the crush range, reducing the exerted deceleration on occupants and equipments. Comparing mean crush force and specific energy absorption obtained by analytical and experimental approaches, it was observed that combining current analytical models with superposition principle can prepare a set of analytical formulations to predict TMTs crush characteristics within an acceptable proximity. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.