Developed trigger mechanisms to improve crush force efficiency of aluminium tubes

摘要

This paper aims to investigate the effect of a trigger mechanism on the crush force efficiency of aluminium tubular absorbers. Various trigger mechanisms such as cut-out holes, circumferential notch and end-fillet, were studied using the validated numerical model. Initially, tubes made of aluminium displayed better crash-worthiness behaviour when compared with steel tubes based on numerical and experimental results. Then the trigger mechanism consisting of three cut-out holes was found more efficient than the ones with an end fillet and a circumferential notch based on a comparative study. According to these results, the developed trigger mechanisms have a significant change in crashworthiness performance of tubular absorbers. Crush force efficiency was doubled with the help of this trigger mechanism while stroke efficiency and specific energy absorptions were reduced by 4% and 15% respectively.