Energy absorption in expansion of composite tube

• Main Author: Shin, Vincent Yew Meng.
• Other Authors: Lu Guoxing
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2011
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/46501
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Sandwich tube has been widely used in inter-disciplinary applications as it provides beneficial advantages to energy absorption in automotive and other biomedical industries. The report aims to explore various tube designs with different material such as carbon fibre to improve specific energy absorption (SEA) for sandwich tube expansion. Specimens will be placed in a quasi-statics environment, where it will undergo axial loading using dies of diameter 44 mm and 56 mm. This report also investigates the possibilities of improving the Specific Energy Absorption through a composite tubing design. 2 sets of 3 various designs inclusive the benchmark design will be discussed in detail with test results and graphs comparison analyses. The first design will be used as a benchmark platform, enabling comparisons and analyses between itself and other prototypes. The second design consists of carbon fibre laminate wrapped around the inner tube of the basic prototype. Lastly in the final design, a composite multi layer sandwich tube with energy absorbing material will be used. All three designs will undergo an axial loading on the Instron Testing machines (Quasi-static test) for their Specific Energy Absorption capabilities. Results and curves comparison will be tabulated, followed by a comprehensive discussion and recommendations for future studies will be highlighted for this report.