Theoretical prediction and numerical analysis for axial crushing behaviour of elliptical aluminium foam-filled tube

Dynamic crushing behavior of elliptical aluminium foam-filled tube (EFT) under axial impact was analyzed thoroughly. First, the deformation mechanism of EFT is investigated. Based on this, a theoretical model to predict the mean crushing force is established under some specific assumption. The interaction work between the foam and tube are introduced in the model to improve the accuracy. Further numerical simulations of the EFT are conducted to validate the theoretical models which indicates the theoretical model is pretty accurate. Finally, the influence of the geometric parameters of EFT on the mean crushing force is also revealed. The study aims at quantifying the energy absorption of EFT under axial impact loading, for variations in the geometry parameters of the tube. This can guide the engineers to design great energy absorber more efficiently. •Deformation mechanism of elliptical aluminum foam-filled tube (EFT) is investigated.•A theoretical model considering interactive effect is established to predict the mean crushing force of EFT.•The numerical analysis of EFT is carried out to verify the accuracy of the theoretical predictions.