Crushing response of circular thin-walled tube with non-propagating crack subjected to dynamic oblique impact loading

Abstract

The dynamic oblique crushing of circular thin-walled tubes with the presence of non-propagating crack was investigated numerically. The material considered was strain rate sensitive with crack located at the distal end of the tube. Major crashworthiness parameters were obtained and the analysis of the structural response for idealized and finite element crushed thin-walled tubes was also carried out. The study shows that crack initiation on energy absorbing tubes increase their crushing force efficiency under oblique impact, decrease their crushing force efficiency under axial impact and reduce their crashworthiness performance such as the energy absorption capacity and specific energy absorption under axial and oblique impact. Results of the crashworthiness parameters, deformation modes, damage morphology, stress–strain relations, absorption energy characteristics and crushing force-displacement history were obtained. Furthermore, the numerical study reveals both the desirable and undesirable consequence of crack on the overall crashworthiness performance of energy absorbing circular thin-walled tubes.