An analysis of axial crushing of composite tubes

Composite tubes of different D/t and H/D ratios and made of glass woven mats with epoxy resin, were tested under axial compression. The crushing mode and the energy absorbing capacity of these tubes were studied. Some of the tubes were filled with foam before testing, and the effect of the infill foam on the failure mode and the energy absorbing capacity of the tubes is discussed. The variation of the tube crush zone length (length crushed in single crush cycle) with variation in its D/t ratio is studied. An analysis has been carried out to find the average crush stress and the length crushed in each cycle of the crushing process when a tube is squashed between two platens. The results thus obtained have been compared with the experimental results.