Analysis of Tube and Mandrel Energy Absorbing System

摘要

Energy absorbing devices are being designed to reduce and limit damage due to impact forces in accident situations. In a review of energy absorption systems, Ezra and Fay identified the combined mode of axial splitting and sequent curling of the split ends of tubes as an efficient one based on specific energy dissipation and stroke to length ratio. Recently, Stronge, Yu and Johnson made a theoretical analysis and an experimental investigation on both dural aluminum and mild steel square tubes which are split and curled by the passage of a die. In the present investigation, long thin-walled round tubes have been split and curled by pressing axially against a conical mandrel. Two tube materials, dural aluminium and mild steel, are used. Different wall-thickness tubes are tested to investigate the effect of wall-thickness on the behavior of the device. The strain-hardening effect is considered in quasi-static tests while the effect of strain-rate on yield stress of the materials is taken into account in impact tests at different impact velocities.