Insight into crush performance comparison of composite profiles and flat plates

This study investigates the correlation between the specific energy absorption (SEA) behavior of various right-angled profiles, e.g., those with angle-, channel-, and square geometries. The behavior is also compared with that of flat plates and circular tubes. The study proposes an approach, which allows for utilizing the results obtained from a small number of profile crush tests to predict the crush properties of other profiles. The proposed approach is to separate the effect of the resistance at the profile corners from the crushing force of the profile flat segments. A generic crush property of a corner and that of a flat segment, calculated from crush-testing a few profile specimens, has been utilized to predict the crush properties of right-angled profiles with different shapes and dimensions. The predicted crush properties of numerous profiles of different shapes and sizes proved to be practically identical to those obtained experimentally. The calculated crushing SEA of the profile flat segments has also proved to be identical to that of flat plates. •Predicting the crush properties of right-angled composite profiles with different shapes from testing other profiles.•Separating the corner's resistance to tearing from the crushing force of profile flat segments.•Predicting profile properties from corner tearing resistance and crushing properties of flat segments.•Specific energy absorption of profile flat segments proved to be identical to those of flat plates.•Circular tubes show different tearing mechanisms and geometry-dependent occurrences.