Optimization and crashworthiness investigation of empty and aluminium foam filled square tubes

Abstract

Foam-filled thin-walled structures have drawn considerable attention and been widely applied in automotive and aerospace industries for their significant advantages in a high energy absorption and light weight. Recently the application of foam filled square tube in automobile industries has taken hike because of crashworthiness characteristic of foams. In the present study, energy absorption capacity of the empty (aluminum and mild steel) and foam in-filled (various aluminum alloys) square tubes have been numerically evaluated under car hitting condition. The finite element method (FEM) is applied in modeling the empty and foam-filled square tubes. The results show that the foam-filled square tubes have outstanding energy absorption characteristics under all the conditions considered. Based on the study results, best combination of materials in shell column wall and in-filled foam has been recommended.