Crushing and theoretical analysis of multi-cell tube filled with auxetic structure under axial impact loading

This paper presents a novel structure of multi-cell tube filled with auxetic structures with the aim of improving the crashworthiness performances. The energy absorbing performances of the multi-cell tubes filled with auxetic structures are investigated by finite element analysis and validated experimentally. Compared with other typical energy absorbers, the multi-cell tubes filled with auxetic structures have better energy absorption performance. A parametric study is performed to analyze the effects of beam thickness, beam angle, and tube thickness on the crashworthiness performances. It is found that the tube and beam thicknesses and beam angles have great effects on the energy absorbing performances. An analytical model is also established to predict the energy absorption of multi-cell tubes filled with auxetic structures under axial impact loadings. The analytical predictions agree well with the numerical simulations indicating the analytical model is accurate to predict the energy absorption performances of the proposed structures.