Quasi-Static Axial Compression of Origami Crash Boxes

Abstract

The origami crash box has been recognized as an efficient energy absorption device. In this paper, quasi-static axial compression tests and numerical simulations are carried out to investigate the energy absorption capacity of origami crash box. The complete diamond mode could be successfully triggered, which indicates that this collapse mode is insensitive to geometric imperfection when the tube is subjected to quasi-static loading. And the results confirm that axially compressed tubes with longer modules ([Formula: see text]) renders higher mean crushing force than those with short modules ([Formula: see text]). Moreover, in order to figure out the energy dissipation percentage of each region in origami crash box, the plastic deformation of shells in two representative regions is measured and analyzed by utilizing electrical measurement and noncontact optical measurement. The results reveal that about 10% of total energy is absorbed by those shells, which is large enough to affect the prediction accuracy of expressions deduced by super folding element theory.