Effects of ambient temperature on a quasi-static axial-crush configuration response of thin-wall, steel box components

An experimental investigation was performed to study the effects of ambient temperature on axial-crush response of steel, square box components. Test specimens were obtained from commercially produced, welded tube lengths of ASTM A36 and ASTM A513 Type 1 plain low-carbon steels and AISI 316 and AISI 304 austenitic stainless steels. Quasi-static testing was performed at different temperatures using a universal testing machine with an environmental chamber. Removable grooved caps for end constraints and collapse initiators in the form of shallow-machined groove patterns on specimen sidewalls were used to restrict the response of the test specimens to a specific configuration (fold-formation process and the corresponding axial load–axial displacement curve shape) of the symmetric axial-crush response mode. Overall, results indicate that, for three ambient temperatures within automotive thermal operating conditions, axial crush can be restricted to a specific configuration response and a controlled and repeatable energy-absorption process can be obtained. However, depending on the material type, secondary folding-phase load and energy-absorption crush characteristics can be significantly influenced by ambient temperature.