Dynamic and quasi-static bending behaviour of thin-walled aluminium tubes filled with aluminium foam

This paper aims to evaluate the potential use of closed-cell aluminium alloy integral-skin foams as stiffening elements for aluminium alloy thin-walled structures that are main basic components in the concept and design of automotive body parts. Foam specimens were prepared using the powder metallurgical route, inserted into empty thin-walled tubes and subjected to quasi-static and dynamic bending loading conditions. The effect of introducing foam into tubes was evaluated using the infrared thermography during the three-point bending tests. The foam-filled tubes, empty tubes and foams are compared in terms of the maximum load carrying capacity, crash energy absorption, specific energy absorption and deformation modes. Results showed that the foam filling leads due to interaction between the tube wall and foam filler, causing an increased bending response of the filled tubes which exceeds the sum of the bending response for the individual components. Their deformation mode is a combination between the modes of the individual components.