Analysis of Energy Absorption on Pultruded Composite Tube under Oblique Loading

Abstract

The capability of structures to absorb as much amount energy, particularly in automotive structures to reduce the damages due to impact energy during collision attract attention of many reserachers. During the actual collision, the crash box is not only experienced axially crash, but also in oblique crash. In this study, an experiment was carried out to study the crashworthiness parameters and behaviour of pultruded fibre E-glass/polyester pultruded composite tubes under oblique loading. Quasi-static loadings were applied axially and oblique on the pultruded composite to investigate the response of force-displacement during progressive collapses. The pultruded wall thickness of 6 mm tubes were used and four oblique angles of 0˚, 5˚, 10˚ and 15˚ were selected to study their effect on crushing behaviours and collapse modes using compression moulding. All specimens were chamfer 45˚ on top end for purpose to work as a collapse trigger mechanism. The results showed that the energy absorption of the structures increasing with decrease of the loading angle.