Study of lateral compression of round metallic tubes

A detailed experimental and computational investigation of round metallic tubes subjected to quasi-static loading is presented. Experiments were conducted wherein round aluminium and mild steel tubes of different diameter to thickness ratios were subjected to lateral compression in an Instron machine. Their deformation histories and load–compression curves were obtained. The deformation of the tubes has also been studied and analysed with the help of the finite element code FORGE2. Contours of nodal velocity, equivalent strain rate and equivalent strain at different stages of compression are presented and discussed. Experimental and computed results are compared. Basic mechanism of their deformation and the effects of process parameters on deformation behaviour of the tubes are presented and discussed.