Energy absorption of aluminum foam-filled tubes under quasi-static axial loading

Abstract

Closed aluminum foams fitted thin-walled circular tubes was investigated for its energy absorption characteristics. Compression test was carried out to obtain the representative quasi-static stress-strain curves. The deformation characteristic (foam, tube and their combination) was analyzed. The results indicated that the deformation mode of aluminum foam and tube changed after combine. Foam-tube configuration absorbed more energy than the sum of foam and tube due to the interaction between tube and filler which contains friction, extrusion, crack formation and growth. In addition, the energy absorption of foam-tube configuration was 6 times of aluminum foams. The experiment results reflected that the foam-tube configuration was a potential energy absorber candidate for car industry and transportation cask.