Modeling the Crushing Response of PMC Tubes Under Quasi-Static and Dynamic Loading Conditions

Non-linear finite element technique was used to predict the crushing response and energy absorption of fiberglass/polyester tubes under quasi-static and dynamic conditions. The major failure modes including axial splitting of the tube wall and delamination were modeled using the available features in LSDYNA and ABAQUS codes for dynamic and quasi-static analysis, respectively. The results show that the finite element models were able to predict the average and peak load levels for the tubes with and without using an external constraint. Finally, it was concluded that modeling the major failure modes in the crushing process in addition to using an appropriate material failure model is essential to capture the load levels and specific energy absorption of the crushed tubes.