Most of the previous work on the crush response of foam-filled columns was concerned with extruded aluminium profiles. This paper presents preliminary results of an on-going experimental project on the crush behaviour of closed top-hat foam-filled sections made of aluminium sheet. The manufacturing process of the foam-filled closed top-hat members was addressed first. Various joining techniques were investigated. Twenty-four axial crushing and twelve bending collapse tests were performed. Some important features of the crushing behaviour of closed top-hat members were revealed. The test results showed a promising future of thin-walled foam-tilled members as weight-efficient crash energy absorbers. More studies have to be carried out. especially on the techniques for joint integrity.
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