Crush Response of Polyurethane Foam-Filled Aluminium Tube Subjected to Axial Loading

Abstract

In this paper, the experimental investigation of polyurethane (PU) foam-filled into circular aluminum tubes subjected to axial crushing was presented. The purpose of this study is to improve the energy absorption of aluminium tube under axial quasi-static load. The aluminium tube was made from the AA6063-T5 aluminium alloy tubes. Each tube was filled with polyurethane foam. The density of foam was varied from 100, 150 and 200 kg/mP3P including with empty tube. The range of diameter/thickness (D/t) ratio of tube was varied from 15-55. The specimen were tested by quasi-static axial load with crush speed of 50 mm/min using the 2,000 kN universal testing machine. The load-displacement curves while testing were recorded for calculation. The mode of collapse of each specimen was analyzed concerning on foam density and the influence of D/t ratio. The results revealed that the tube with foam-filled provided significantly increment of the energy absorption than that of the empty tube. While the density of foam and D/t ratios increase, the tendency of collapse mode is transformed from asymmetric mode to concertina mode.