Investigation and optimization of the effects of structural parameters on the energy absorption performance of thin walled tubes

Thin-walled tubes widely used as energy absorbing structures in land, sea and air vehicles. Structural parameters such as thickness variation, conical angles, fiber orientation angel and foam filling are used in the design of thin-walled tubes produced from different materials such as metal, composite and metal-composite. In this thesis, the effects of these structural parameters on the energy absorption behavior were investigated numerically and experimentally. In the first chapter; the energy absorption behaviors of variable thickness metallic tubes with eight different thickness parts with 0° (straight), 5° and 10° conical angles were investigated. The effect of the change in part thickness on the energy absorption was determined numerically and the part thicknesses were optimized. In the second chapter; the effects of fiber orientation angle of composite tubes with 0° (straight), 5° and 10° conical angles and six fiber plies on the energy absorption behavior were investigated and the fiber orientation angle was optimized. In the third chapter, the energy absorption behavior of the functional foam filled end-to-end added hybrid tubes made of composite, aluminum and steel materials were investigated and optimized. In conclusion the energy absorption performance of foam filled hybrid tubes increased by 435% compared to hollow tubes.