Energy Absorption of Thin Walled Members Under Axial Compressive Loading
This study was conducted to investigate the effects of cross-sectional geometry on thin wall axial crushing members for the purpose of improved energy absorption. A total of five geometrically equivalent shapes (same wall thickness area, material, and length) were analyzed namely, triangle, rectangle, square, pentagon, and circle. The deformation modes and energy absorption of the members were studied under compressive loads and compared using ABAQUS/Explicit module, finite element analysis software. The simulations revealed that for the five geometrically equivalent cross sections under equal loading conditions, the pentagon shaped member absorbed the highest amount of energy. As compared to baseline rectangle member, the pentagon member absorbed approximately 25–28% more energy.