Energy absorption of a cylindrical tube with varying cross-section subjected to axial impact

Abstract

An approximate method for evaluating the absorbed impact energy of a cylindrical tube with varying cross-section was proposed by using dynamic behaviors of uniform cylindrical tubes subjected to axial impacts. The cylindrical tubes with varying cross-section were approximated as a tube connected with many infinitesimal uniform cylindrical tubes to analyze the crushing behaviors. The crushing of the cylindrical tube with varying cross-section was assumed to progress due to minimum load of the infinitesimal uniform tubes. The dynamic behaviors of the uniform tubes were evaluated by finite element analysis or theoretical analysis. Relations between mean force and displacement for cylindrical tubes with varying cross-section could be analyzed by the approximate method. To confirm the validity of the method, the results of a drop weight impact test for cylindrical tubes with varying cross-section were compared to the analyzed results. The approximate absorbed energy-displacement curve showed good agreement with the experimental results. Moreover, it was clarified that the energy absorption characteristic could be controlled by varying the taper angle of the tubes. © 2012 The Japan Society of Mechanical Engineers.