The purpose of this study is to evaluate and compare the ability of various composite structures to dissipate the energy generated during a crash. To this end, circular composite tubes were tested in compression in order to identify their behavior and determine their absorbing capabilities using the specific energy absorption (energy absorbed per unit weight). Several composite tubular structures with different materials and architectures were tested, including hybrid composition of carbon–aramid and hybrid configuration of 0/90 UD with woven or braided fabric. Several inventive and experimental trigger systems have been tested to try and enhance the absorption capabilities of the tested structures. Specific energy absorption values up to 140 kJ.kg−1 were obtained, achieving better than most instances from the literature, reaching around 80 kJ.kg−1. Specimens with 0°-oriented fibers coincidental with the direction of compression reached the highest specific energy absorption values while those with no fiber oriented in this direction performed poorly. Moreover, it has consequently been established that in quasi-static loading, a unidirectional laminate oriented at 0° and stabilized by woven plies strongly meets the expectations in terms of energy dissipation. Incidentally, an inner constrained containment is more effective in most cases, reducing the initial peak load without drastically reducing the specific energy absorption value.

The purpose of this study is to complete a previous quasi-static experimental campaign on the energy absorption performance of composite tubes with the influence of the dynamic effect. Various hybrid composite tubes, involving unidirectional and braided plies with various materials and stacking sequences, were tested both in quasi-static and in dynamic crushing in order to identify their behavior and determine their absorbing capabilities using the Specific Energy Absorption. In dynamic loading, 90-oriented fibers stabilised by woven plies showed good performances, contrary to static loading, since the energy absorption of the unidirectional laminate oriented at 0 drops by 50% in dynamics.