Numerical Study on Hybrid Tubes Subjected to Static and Dynamic Loading

The commercial finite element program LS-DYNA was employed to evaluate the response and energy absorbing capacity of cylindrical metal tubes that are externally wrapped with composite. The numerical simulation elucidated the crushing behaviors of these tubes under both quasi-static compression and axial dynamic impact loading. The effects of composite wall thickness, loading conditions and fiber ply orientation were examined. The stress–strain curves under different strain rates were used to determine the dynamic impact of strain rate effects on the metal. The results were compared with those of a simplified analytical model and the mean crushing force thus predicted agreed closely with the numerical simulations. The numerical results demonstrate that a wrapped composite can be utilized effectively to enhance the crushing characteristics and energy absorbing capacity of the tubes. Increasing the thickness of the composite increases the mean force and the specific energy absorption under both static and dynamic crushing. The ply pattern affects the energy absorption capacity and the failure mode of the metal tube and the composite material property is also significant in determining energy absorption efficiency.