Semicircular Composite Tubes During the Quasi-Static Indentation Experiments

this paper presents experimental investigation of polyurethane foam filled semicircular composite tubes under lateral indentation process, using a rigid cylindrical indenter. Effects of important parameters such as diameter, length and thickness of the specimens and indenter diameter are investigated as well as polyurethane foam-filler effect on the fracture mode of the shells, their contact force and energy absorption capacity. Results showed that a foam-filled composite shell with a larger length and thickness and smaller diameter may absorb more energy for each case when the other geometrical parameters are fixed. In contrast with the results presented in the literature, in this case, a filled specimen with a larger diameter absorbs less energy in comparison with a filled specimen with a smaller diameter and it is due to less contributed volume of the compressed foam.