Energy Absorption Analysis of Thin-Walled Tubes with Different Hole Row and Column Configurations

This study investigates the effect of different hole arrangements in rows and columns on the energy absorption of thin-walled tubes. Due to their simple geometry and manufacturability, holed thin-walled tubes are well-suited for application in energy-absorbing systems. The study concentrates on energy absorption (EA), specific energy absorption (SEA), initial crushing force (ICF), and ratio of initial crushing force to mean crushing force (MCF) via strategically located perforations in ST۳۷ tubes. Finite element (FE) simulations and empirical experiments were employed to investigate the effects of various geometric configurations. To compare the performance of the hole patterns, the RC-۵-۱۰ configuration (۵ rows, ۱۰ columns), which showed the highest energy absorption among the tested samples, was compared with a simple tube without perforations. The findings revealed that the RC-۵-۱۰ had a higher SEA compared to the Simple tube. On the other hand, the peak crushing force (PCF) value in the RC-۵-۱۰ tube decreases by ۳.۴% as compared to simple tubes. These results further highlight the potential of perforated thin-walled tubes for energy absorption applications for various automotive safety and protective structural applications. Overall, this investigation provides insights into the influence of geometric design parameters on energy-absorbing mechanisms through both experimental and numerical analysis.

Keywords:

Axial loading , Cylindrical thin-walled tubes , Specific energy absorption , crushing performance , Energy absorption , Specific energy absorbent