Energy Absorption of Origami Crash Box: Numerical Simulation and Theoretical Analysis

Abstract

Thin-walled tubes as energy absorption devices are widely in use for their low cost and high manufacturability. Employing origami technique on a tube enables induction of a predetermined failure mode so as to improve its energy absorption efficiency. Here we study the energy absorption of a hexagonal tubular device named the origami crash box numerically and theoretically. Numerical simulations of the quasi-static axial crushing show that the pattern triggers a diamond-shaped mode, leading to a substantial increase in energy absorption and reduction in initial peak force. The effects of geometric parameters on the performance of the origami crash box are also investigated through a parametric study. Furthermore, a theoretical study on the deformation mode and energy absorption of the origami crash box is carried out, and a good match with numerical results is obtained. The origami crash box shows great promise in the design of energy absorption devices.

Quasi-static axial crushing of hexagonal origami crash boxes as energy absorption devices

“…Many efforts have been thus taken to reduce the initial peak force while keeping or increasing the absorbed energy, ranging from introducing dents and grooves (Mamalis et al, 1986;Yang et al, 2017), corrugations (Singace and El-Sobky, 1997;Wu et al, 2016) into square and circular tubes. Lately, researchers have found that the introduction of origami patterns into thin-wall structures can trigger specific failure modes, which in turn change the structural responses and characteristics.…”