This content is not included in
your SAE MOBILUS subscription, or you are not logged in.
Use of Aluminum Foam to Increase Crash Box Efficiency
Technical Paper
2005-01-0704
ISSN: 0148-7191, e-ISSN: 2688-3627
Annotation ability available
Sector:
Language:
English
Abstract
Aluminum foams have been of interest to automotive designers for some time due to their extreme light weight (0.3 to 0.5 g/cm3) and their potential to absorb energy during impact.
The current paper describes the use of stabilized aluminum foams produced by the melt method from Metal Matrix Composites (MMC) in automotive front-end crash box applications. Performance of an existing design crash box using hollow aluminum extrusions will be compared to the same extrusions filled with MMC foams of varying densities. Methods of manufacture and control of the physical and the related mechanical properties of the foam will be described
The existing and composite crash boxes were tested using standard methods. Test data including energy absorption per unit mass and per unit length will be discussed. The mechanism of energy absorption will also be discussed. Results indicate significant improvements in both these areas allowing a meaningful reduction in crash box length for a given energy absorption.
Recommended Content
Citation
Maddever, W. and Guinehut, S., "Use of Aluminum Foam to Increase Crash Box Efficiency," SAE Technical Paper 2005-01-0704, 2005, https://doi.org/10.4271/2005-01-0704.Also In
References
- Jeanneau, M. Pichant P. 2000 The Trends of steel products in the European automotive industry
- Martchek, K.J Pomper, S. Green J. Credible Life Cycle Inventory Data for Studies of Automotive Aluminum
- Research Council for Automotive Repairs “Vehicle Design Features for Optimum Low Speed Impact Performance.” January 1995
- Ashby, M. F. Evans, A. Fleck, N.A. Gibson, L.J. Hutchinson, J.W. Wadley, H.N.G. 2000 Metal Foams: A Design Guide Butterworth-Heinmann
- Santosa S. Wierzbicki T. Experimental and numerical studies of foam filled sections International Journal of Impact Engineering 24 2000
- Santosa S. Wierzbicki T. Crash behavior of box columns filled with aluminum honeycomb or foam Computer and structures 68 1998
- Abramowicz, W. Jones, N. 1984 “Dynamic Axial Crushing of Circular Tubes” lntermational Journal of Impact Engineering 2 263 281
- Mamalis, A.G. Johnson W. 1983 “The Quasi-Static Crumpling of Thin-Walled Circular Cylinders and Frusta Under Axial Compression” International Journal of Mechanical Sciences 25 713 732
- Hanssen, A.G. Langseth, M. Hopperstad, O.S. 1999 “Static crushing of square aluminum extrusions with aluminum foam filler” International Journal of Mechanical Sciences 41 967 993
- Fuganti, A. Lorenzi, L. Hanssen, A.G. Langseth, M. 2000 “Aluminum Foam for Automotive Applications” Advanced Engineering Materials 4 200 204
- Hansen A.G. Static crushing of square aluminum extrusions with aluminum foam filler International Journal of Mechanical Sciences 41 1999
- Guinehut S. Lanard JL. Aluminum foam filled crash boxes ATZ 11 2002