Metal Foams for Improved Crash Energy Absorption in Passenger Equipment. High Speed Rail IDEA Project 34;Final rept. Mar 02-Jan 04

摘要

Crashworthiness of passenger vehicles has gained increased attention and progress over the last three to four decades. New strategies of crash energy management and new materials have provided for a safer traveling environment, but national and international statistics indicate that there is still more to do. Metallic foams with a high fraction of porosity, which typically range from 40-97 volume percent (this is the portion of the metal foam that is filled with air or a gas), are a rapidly emerging class of novel materials for various engineering applications. Some examples of proposed applications are ultra-lightweight structural components, impact energy absorbers in automotive applications, thermal and sound insulation, and filters or heat exchangers for chemical processing. The attributes of metallic foams especially lend themselves to applications requiring high stiffness-to-weight ratio and efficient crash energy absorption. The goal of this project was to identify and demonstrate specific applications for aluminum foam in high speed rail equipment. The main focus was on improvement of crash energy absorption of structures in rail passenger cars. Four application areas were discussed and explored through analytical studies, redesign and sub-scale testing of components. A single application was selected for full scale testing based on test results, cost-of-fabrication modeling, and the ability to produce a full-scale component within the boundaries of this project.