Crashworthiness performance and microstructural characteristics of foam-filled thin-walled tubes under diverse strain rate

Publication date: 15 February 2019Source: Journal of Alloys and Compounds, Volume 775Author(s): Dipen Kumar Rajak, Nikhil N. Mahajan, Emanoil LinulAbstractThe implementation of Aluminum Alloy Foam (AAF) has made an impact in automobile and aerospace applications where crash energy absorption, vibration and sound damping and weight reduction is obligatory. The AAF is an emerging lightweight material providing high strength and stiffness at relatively low density. This research is carried out to quantify the energy absorption of mild steel reinforced AAF having empty mild steel and foam-filled tubes for different strain rates and geometry parameters. The AAF used in the current study is AlSi10Mg foam of densities 0.45, 0.65, 0.85 g/cm3, which is produced using melt route process. The circular, square and rectangular geometries were tested at strain rates of 0.1, 1, 10 mm/s. From the obtained compressive stress-strain curves Specific Energy Absorption (SEA), Total Energy Absorption (TEA), plateau stress of the empty and filled sections were determined, which were then evaluated. AAF was assessed by both light and electron microscopy. Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM) and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) technique was employed to investigate the highest contributing factor in energy absorption. It was observed that foam filled tube can absorb more energy than empty tubes before reaching densification point.

Source: Journal of Alloys and Compounds - October 21, 2018 Category: Chemistry Source Type: research