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cross section crash boxes

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ABSTRACT<br />

OPTIMIZATION OF THE AXIAL CRUSHING BEHAVIOR OF<br />

CLOSED-CELL ALUMINUM FOAM FILLED WELDED 1050 AL<br />

SQUARE-CROSS SECTION CRASH BOXES<br />

The crushing behavior of partially Al closed-cell foam (Alulight AlSi10) filled<br />

1050H14 Al <strong>crash</strong> <strong>boxes</strong> was investigated at quasi-static and dynamic deformation<br />

velocities. The quasi-static crushing of empty and filled <strong>boxes</strong> was further simulated<br />

using LS-DYNA. Finally, the crushing of partially foam filled 1050H14 <strong>crash</strong> <strong>boxes</strong><br />

was optimized using the response surface methodology. The used optimization<br />

methodology was also applied to the <strong>boxes</strong> made of a stronger Al alloy, 6061T4 Al, and<br />

filled with a higher strength Al foam, Hydro Al closed cell foam, in order to clarify the<br />

effect of box material and foam filler strength on the crushing behavior of the filled<br />

<strong>boxes</strong>. Within the investigated tube thickness and foam relative density range, the<br />

energy absorption of 1050H14 <strong>boxes</strong> was optimized at 3 mm wall thickness and 0.1114<br />

(Alulight) and 0.0508 (Hydro foam) foam filler relative density. The increase in specific<br />

energy absorption of 1050H14 <strong>crash</strong> box was 5.6% with Alulight and 21.9% for Hydro<br />

foam filling. The SEA values of empty, partially and fully foam filled <strong>boxes</strong> were<br />

predicted as function of box wall thickness between 1 and 3 mm and foam filler relative<br />

density between 0 and 0.2, using the analytical equations developed for the mean<br />

crushing loads. The analysis indicated that both fully and partially foam filled <strong>boxes</strong><br />

were energetically more efficient than empty <strong>boxes</strong> above a critical foam filler relative<br />

density. Partial foam filling however decreased the critical foam filler density at<br />

increasing box wall thicknesses.<br />

iv

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