Development and Characterization of a Composite Cylindrical Column with an Aluminum Foam Core

Abstract

Energy absorption in automotive structures is very important when one considers the effect of collisions on safety. A literature review reveals a strong emphasis within the field of mechanical engineering on the design and development of energy-absorbing devices. With the increase in speeds and reduction in weight, there is an ever increasing need for better energy absorption within the structure. Energy absorption can be accomplished in a number of ways, one of which is the using structural elements that transform kinetic energy into plastic strain energy. The ideal structural energy absorber is one that dissipates a large amount of energy while transmitting the minimal force possible into the main structure. For practical reasons, the structures that have been considered are tubular ones and many have a core of lightweight material. Of all cross sectional shapes considered, the circular ones are the most ubiquitous owing to the ease of manufacturing, analysis and their added ability to absorb energy under axial loading. Aluminum foam is a cellular material with an open cell structure and aluminum ligaments. They are used heavily in shock absorption, particularly in cases of protecting occupants from explosions in the undercarriage of vehicles [1]. Aluminum foams-filled tubes have been discussed in the literature, especially in the context of high specific energy absorption which is a measure of absorbed energy per unit weight [2]. In addition, previous works[3–11] investigated the crashworthiness when aluminum foam-filled single tubes or thin-walled structures are used. The aim of this project is to conduct an experimental study into the crushing behavior and the energy absorption characteristics of aluminum and carbon fiber tubes with a Duocel® aluminum foam core. The core is coupled to the tube using epoxy injected into a section of a Duocel® aluminum foam. Chapter 2 describes the makeup and construction of this material. Chapter 3 describes the testing methodology. Chapter 4 presents results and discussions while Chapter 5 gives the conclusion and future work.