This study is focused on modification of a conventional bumper damper to increase its energy absorbability. This bumper damper device is currently used on passenger vehicles for reducing structural damage, as well as part of the pedestrian protection system. A hollow aluminium cylinder with 2mm in thickness was subjected to a range of experiments. The energy absorption takes place as a ram displaces along the cylinder's bore, where the outer diameter of the ram is slightly wider than the inner diameter of this cylinder. Results from laboratory experiments and ANSYS finite element software showed that the hollow cylinder absorbs 3.2 kJ energy, after the ram was displaced 80mm inside the cylinder. The damper is modified by attaching two metallic rings with 1mm thickness outside the cylinder surface to increase its crashworthiness, the addition of these rings resulted in increase of 16% in energy absorption.
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