Investigate the Crashworthiness Behavior of Polyester/Epoxy Composite Tubes Under Quasi-Static Loading

The study focuses on designing and evaluating composite tubes made from polyester and epoxy materials. The aim is to enhance the crashworthiness of these tubes in vehicle structures. PMC structures play a crucial role in improving crashworthiness and effectively regulating crash energy to ensure the safety of vehicle designs. This study specifically concentrates on designing and evaluating composite tubes strengthened with polyester fabric to enhance their ability to absorb energy. Specimens consisting of polyester/epoxy laminates with 3, 5, 6, and 9 plies were created using a hand layup approach. These specimens were then tested under quasi-static stress conditions to assess their crashworthiness properties. The parameters of peak load, mean load, specific energy absorption, total energy absorption, and crush force efficiency were measured and compared. The results demonstrate that specimens with more polyester/epoxy laminates display enhanced crash performance, characterized by higher peak load, mean load, total energy absorption, specific energy absorption, and crush force efficiency values. However, when the number of plies grows from 5 to 7, the specific energy absorption value drops due to the increased weight in specimens with 7 plies of fabric. An analysis of failure modes and behaviors can be conducted by examining load-displacement curves and photographic data. This will provide a clearer understanding of how the composite tubes respond to different loading circumstances. This study contributes to the progress of lightweight and efficient composite materials for improved vehicle safety and ways to reduce the impact of crashes.