DYNAMIC CRUSHING TESTS OF THIN-WALLED MEMBERS UNDER COMPRESSION.docVIP

14 Materials Engineering, Vol. 16, 2009, No. 1 DYNAMIC CRUSHING TESTS OF THIN-WALLED MEMBERS UNDER COMPRESSION Maria Kote?ko , Sebastian Lipa , Rados?aw J. Mania1 1 2 th th Received 30 January 2009; accepted in revised form 16 February 2009 Abstract The paper deals with the experimental investigation into crushing collapse behaviour of two types of thin- walled structural members: tubular multi-member element subject to lateral crushing load and top hat-section column under axial compression. Especially designed experimental stand, in which a dynamical crushing load is realized by means of hydraulic system, is presented. Experimental, dynamical load-deformation curves are compared with those obtained from FE simulations and obtained from quasi-static tests. Conclusions concerning an agreement between results of numerical simulations and results of static and dynamic tests are derived. 1. Introduction hat-sections subject to bending and compression are widely used in car doors for side impact protection. Increasing number of impacting events of many types like traffic accidents, collisions of ships or A separate type of the collapsible energy collisions of a ship either with an iceberg or ship absorber is a system of moderately thin-walled tubes grounding on a narrow rock, etc. induced the rapid subject to lateral crushing. Such laterally loaded development of the impact crashworthiness dealing cylindrical clusters have been used in impact with research into impact engineering problems, attenuation devices of vehicles. They are also particularly in the field of dynamic response of employed as crush cushions in roadside safety structures in the plast