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Article history:
Received 23 November 2009
Received in revised form
21 July 2010
Accepted 22 July 2010
Available online 4 August 2010
In this paper, deformations and energy absorption capacity of thin walled tubes with various section
shapes (circular, square, rectangular, hexagonal, triangular, pyramidal and conical) are investigated
both experimentally and numerically. The tubes have the same volume, height, average section area,
thickness and material and are subjected under axial quasi static loading. The results of simulations are
in good agreement with the experimental data and show that the section geometry has considerable
effect on the energy absorption. The circular tube has the most energy absorption capacity and the most
average force among all investigated sections. Since the maximum force is concerned in impact events,
pyramidal and conical tubes are recommended, due to their uniform loaddisplacement curves and
therefore, less difference between the maximum and the average forces.
& 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Keywords:
Crushing
Thin-walled tube
Energy absorption
Folding
1. Introduction
Nowadays, vehicles are used extensively and a large number of
horrible accidents related to them occur widely. Increasing the
safety for passengers is a valuable aim and a lot of investigations
are carried out in this region. Using energy absorbers is an
appropriate option for this purpose. These parts have different
shapes and are made from low density materials. In designing
these parts, investigation of their collapse behavior and energy
absorption capacity is necessary and a wide variety of studies is
done about these structures, especially about thin walled tubes.
Alexander [1] accomplished the rst studies on the collapse of
cylindrical tubes under axial loads to access relations for designing
nuclear fuel tanks. Inversion of tubes and inversion specications
were studied by Al-Hassani et al. [2]. Mamalis et al. [3] presented a
new theoretical model for collapse of steel conical tubes based on
experimental observations. Abramowicz and Wierzbicki [4] studied
crushing of thin walled structures with polygon sections considering
xed plastic hinges. Abramowicz and Jones [5] calculated the
average crushing load of square tubes under axial static loads.
Mamalis et al. [6] studied experimentally the effect of circular
grooves around outer surface of cylindrical tubes on the buckling
load, and showed that these grooves can control the maximum load
of collapse. Chirwa [7] investigated the inversion of thin walled
tubes with varying thickness, both analytically and experimentally,
and showed that energy absorption capacity of these tubes is about
50% higher than those of tubes with constant thickness. Aljawi and
0263-8231/$ - see front matter & 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
doi:10.1016/j.tws.2010.07.003
2. Test specimens
Since the tubes with desirable sections were not available, we
made them in workshop from sheets by welding. Due to Argon
947
welding, this process can affect on the results, but we did our best
to reduce these unwanted effects as possible.
Table 1
Mechanical properties of samples based on tension test results.
Thickness of
specimen (mm)
Ultimate
strength (MPa)
Elongation at
break (mm)
Stress at
0.2% yield
1.5
1.5
1.5
1
1
1
131.9
134.0
147.8
140.0
135.0
138.0
6.5
7.3
6.8
6.5
6.4
6.6
129.5
127.2
131.0
132.0
129.0
130.5
Table 2
Material composition of samples.
Table 4
Abbreviations for samples and their number.
97.82
0.41
0.05
1.03
0.00015
0.52
0.17
100
97.81
0.38
0.05
1.06
0.00017
0.55
0.15
100
Specimen shape
Cylindrical
Hexagonal prism
Square prism
Rectangular prism
Triangular prism
Frusta
Pyramidal
Code
Cr
He
Sq
Re
Tr
Fr
Pr
1 mm Thickness
5
4
5
5
5
5
5
3
3
3
3
Table 3
Specications of the samples (dimensions in millimeters).
Specimen shape
Dimensions )mm)
Cylindrical
Length
100
Length
100
Length
100
Length
100
Length
100
Length
100
Length
100
Hexagonal prism
Square prism
Rectangular prism
Triangular prism
Frusta
Pyramidal
Diameter
60
Rib
31.4
Rib
47.1
Cross section
31.4 62.8
Rib
62.8
Minimum diameter
43.32
Minimum cross section
40 41.37
Maximum diameter
76.67
Maximum cross section
40 66.91
Thickness
1 and 1.5
Thickness
1 and 1.5
Thickness
1 and 1.5
Thickness
1 and 1.5
Thickness
1 and 1.5
Thickness
1 and 1.5
Thickness
1 and 1.5
948
3. Experiment
Axial quasi static loading of samples is carried out using
Instron 8503 apparatus (Fig. 2). This apparatus has two jaws: the
upper one is stationary and the lower one is moveable. The
sample is set between two jaws vertically and is compressed
axially. Since the upper and the lower jaws of the apparatus are
stationary and moveable, respectively, the upper and the lower
ends of the specimen are named xed end and moving end,
respectively. The rate of loading is 100 mm/s and the stroke is
considered equal to 90 mm. This stroke is given so that all of the
samples can absorb the maximum energy. During the test, the
loaddisplacement curve is drawn for the sample.
In Table 5 values of the maximum and the average forces in
tests are listed, the samples crushing length at the end of loading,
Table 5
Results of experiments for all of the specimens.
Specimen code
Absorbed energy (Nm) Mean force (kN) Maximum force (kN) Crushing length D (mm) Collapse mode
Cr1.5-1
Cr1.5-2
Cr1.5-3
Cr1.5-4
Cr1.5-5
Cr1-1
Cr1-2
Cr1-3
Sq1.5-1
Sq1.5-2
Sq1.5-3
Sq1.5-4
Sq1.5-5
Sq1-1
Sq1-2
Sq1-3
Fr1.5-1
Fr1.5-2
Fr1.5-3
Fr1.5-4
Fr1.5-5
Fr1-1
Fr1-2
Fr1-3
Tr1.5-1
Tr1.5-2
Tr1.5-3
Tr1.5-4
Tr1.5-5
Re1.5-1
Re1.5-2
Re1.5-3
Re1.5-4
Re1.5-5
He1.5-1
He1.5-2
He1.5-3
He1.5-4
Pr1.5-1
Pr1.5-2
Pr1.5-3
Pr1.5-4
Pr1.5-5
Pr1-1
Pr1-2
Pr1-3
1170.0
1190.0
1220.0
1150.0
1110.0
629.0
622.0
640.0
830.0
820.0
823.0
840.0
825.0
511.0
482.0
491.0
1075.0
1087.0
1081.0
1112.0
1098.0
561.0
556.0
560.0
658.0
610.0
677.0
663.0
647.0
710.0
692.0
688.0
730.0
690.0
961.0
947.0
939.0
956.0
728.0
752.0
776.0
763.0
780.0
461.0
422.0
427.0
14.63
15.25
15.38
14.37
14.05
8.00
7.90
8.10
10.50
10.60
10.40
10.56
10.27
6.46
6.02
6.33
13.27
13.20
13.34
13.64
13.47
6.68
6.66
6.55
7.74
7.30
8.01
8.08
7.73
9.08
8.76
8.76
9.01
8.57
12.64
12.62
12.49
12.50
8.18
8.10
8.20
8.30
8.22
5.55
5.17
5.11
34.50
36.00
34.78
35.55
35.10
25.62
25.28
25.35
34.40
33.90
34.10
34.00
33.80
23.50
23.20
23.40
25.59
25.61
25.26
25.91
25.32
15.99
15.89
15.91
32.40
30.15
30.98
31.70
31.50
32.57
32.72
32.80
33.00
32.80
37.00
36.80
36.30
37.40
26.40
26.90
26.60
27.10
26.70
12.99
12.16
12.20
80.0
78.0
79.3
80.0
79.0
78.6
77.6
79.0
79.0
77.3
79.0
79.5
80.3
79.0
80.0
77.5
81.0
82.3
81.0
81.5
81.5
84.0
83.5
85.5
85.0
83.5
84.5
82.0
83.7
78.2
79.0
78.5
81.0
80.5
76.0
75.0
75.2
76.5
82.3
81.5
83.3
78.8
84.0
83.1
81.6
83.5
Concertina
Concertina
Concertina
Concertina
Concertina
Diamond
Diamond
Diamond
Concertina
Concertina
Concertina
Concertina
Concertina
Diamond
Diamond
Diamond
Diamond
Diamond
Diamond
Diamond
Diamond
Diamond
Diamond
Diamond
Diamond
Diamond
Diamond
Diamond
Diamond
Concertina
Concertina
Concertina
Concertina
Concertina
Concertina
Concertina
Concertina
Concertina
Concertina
Concertina
Concertina
Concertina
Concertina
Concertina
Concertina
Diamond
and
and
and
and
and
and diamond
and diamond
and diamond
and diamond
and diamond
and diamond
and diamond
and diamond
and diamond
and diamond
Fixed end
Fixed end
Fixed end
Fixed end
Fixed end
Fixed end
Fixed end
Fixed end
Fixed End
Fixed end
Moving end
Fixed end
Fixed end
Fixed end
Fixed end
Moving end
Fixed end
Fixed end
Fixed end
Fixed end
Fixed end
Fixed end
Fixed end
Fixed end
Mid of specimen
Mid of specimen
Mid of specimen
Mid of specimen
Mid of specimen
Fixed end
Moving end
Fixed end
Fixed end
Fixed end
Fixed end
Fixed end
Fixed end
Moving end
Fixed end
Fixed end
Fixed end
Fixed end
Fixed end
Fixed end
Fixed end
Fixed end
949
Fig. 3. Some specimens before (left), during (middle) and after loading (right).
the collapse modes and starting location of folding in each test are
registered and these parameters with the amount of energy absorbed
during the test and calculated from the loaddisplacement curve of
the specimen are listed in Table 5.
Fig. 3 shows some of the specimens before, during and after
loading.
4. Numerical simulation
3.1. Calculation of the average values of the important parameters
from test results
The main parameters which are concerned in energy absorption process of thin walled structures include the maximum
950
Table 6
Average values of the important results for 1.5 mm thickness specimens.
Specimen shape
Absorbed energy (Nm) Mean force (kN) Maximum force (kN) Crushing length D (mm) Collapse mode
Cylindrical
1168.0
Hexagonal prism 1090.6
Square prism
950.8
Rectangular prism 827.6
Triangular prism
651.0
Frusta
702.0
Pyramidal
759.8
14.74
13.38
12.56
10.46
7.77
8.84
8.20
35.19
25.54
36.88
34.04
31.35
32.78
26.74
79.3
81.5
75.7
79.0
83.7
79.4
82.0
end
end
end
end
end
end
end
Table 7
Average values of the important results for 1 mm thickness specimens.
Specimen shape Absorbed energy (Nm) Mean force (kN) Maximum force (kN) Crushing length D (mm) Collapse Mode
Cylindrical
Frusta
Square prism
Pyramidal
Fixed
Fixed
Fixed
Fixed
630.3
559.0
496.6
436.7
8.00
6.63
6.27
5.28
25.42
15.93
23.36
12.45
78.4
84.3
78.8
82.7
Diamond
Diamond
Diamond
Concertina and diamond
end
end
end
end
Fig. 4. Rectangular section tube before (left) and during loading (right).
elements with 1 and 1.5 mm thicknesses are used for tubes. The
boundary conditions are the same as the experimental tests;
therefore, the upper rigid part is constrained completely, whereas
the lower rigid part can move upward vertically with a speed
equal to 100 mm/s. The material models for the tube and the rigid
parts are Mat_picewise_ linear_placticity and Rigid, respectively.
In order to supply appropriate conditions for deformations,
contact automatic surface to surface title and contact automatic single surface title are used for tube-rigid part elements
and tube elements with each other, respectively. The nite
element model of the specimen with rectangular section before
and during loading is shown in Fig. 4.
The results of simulations including important parameters
related to energy absorption capacity of samples are listed in
Tables 8 and 9.
951
Table 8
Results of simulations for 1.5 mm thickness specimens.
Specimen shape
Absorbed energy (Nm) Mean force (kN) Maximum force (kN) Crushing length D (mm) Collapse mode
Cylindrical
1080.0
Hexagonal prism 1030.0
Square prism
988.0
Rectangular prism 894.0
Triangular prism
662.0
Frusta
684.0
Pyramidal
730.0
13.67
13.20
12.05
11.10
8.34
8.40
8.79
35.80
24.80
36.60
35.30
32.50
34.00
27.60
79.0
78.0
82.0
80.6
79.0
81.4
83.0
Table 9
Results of simulations for 1 mm thickness specimens.
Specimen shape
Absorbed energy (Nm) Mean force (kN) Maximum force (kN) Crushing length D (mm) Collapse mode
Cylindrical
Hexagonal prism
Square prism
Rectangular prism
Triangular prism
Frusta
Pyramidal
585.0
533.0
529.0
512.0
383.0
419.0
465.0
Fixed end
Fixed end
Moving end
Moving end
Mid of specimen
Fixed end
Fixed end
7.40
6.58
6.59
6.32
4.73
5.34
5.60
23.30
15.90
24.10
23.60
15.50
18.40
14.99
79.0
81.0
80.3
81.6
81.0
78.5
83.0
Table 10
Comparison between the results of simulations and experiments for 1.5 mm thickness samples.
Specimen shape
Difference %
Absorbed energy (Nm)
Cylindrical
Hexagonal prism
Square prism
Rectangular prism
Triangular prism
Frusta
Pyramidal
7.5
5.5
3.9
8.0
1.7
2.5
3.9
Collapse mode
Similar
Similar
Similar
Similar
Similar
Almost similar
Similar
Similar
Similar
Different
Different
Similar
Different
Similar
Collapse mode
Almost similar
Similar
Almost similar
Almost similar
Similar
Similar
Similar
Similar
Table 11
Comparison between the results of simulations and experiments for 1 mm thickness samples.
Specimen shape
Difference %
Absorbed energy (Nm)
Cylindrical
Frusta
Square prism
Pyramidal
7.2
4.6
3.1
4.0
6. Conclusions
Based on experiments and simulations of this research, the
important results related to thin walled tubes, which are used as
952
Fig. 5. Comparison between deformation modes of samples in experiments (left) and simulations (right).
40
Experimental
Numerical
1000
30
800
600
400
200
0
Mean force
Max force
35
Force (kN)
1200
953
25
20
15
10
Cr
Fr
He
Sq
Tr
Re
Pr
Specimen shape
Fr
Cr
He
Sq
Tr
Re
Pr
Specimen shape
Fig. 9. Comparison of the maximum and the average force of various sections with
1.5 mm thickness (simulations).
Experimental
Max force
25
500
400
300
20
15
10
200
100
0
Mean force
30
Numerical
600
Force (kN)
700
Cr
Fr
He
Sq
Tr
Re
Cr
Pr
Fr
40
Fig. 10. Comparison of the maximum and the average force of various sections
with 1 mm thickness (experiments).
25
Mean force
Max force
35
Mean force
Max force
20
Force (kN)
30
Force (kN)
Pr
Specimen shape
Specimen shape
Fig. 7. Comparison of energy absorption capacity of different sections in
experiments and numerical simulations (1 mm thickness).
Sq
25
20
15
10
15
10
5
5
0
Cr
Fr
He
Sq
Tr
Re
Pr
Specimen shape
Fig. 8. Comparison of the maximum and the average force of various sections with
1.5 mm thickness (experiments).
0
Cr
Fr
He
Sq
Tr
Re
Pr
Specimen shape
Fig. 11. Comparison of the maximum and the average force of various sections
with 1 mm thickness (simulations).
954
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