Energy Absorption of High-Strength Steel Tubes Under Impact Crush Conditions

The energy absorption of automotive sheet steels was determined at impact speeds to 40 mph by crushing tubular structures at 70 and -40 F. The test program was designed to provide an intermediate step between tensile and vehicle tests aimed at understanding material behavior at high impact speeds. Energy absorption increased with impact velocity, strength, thickness, and lower temperature. Energy absorbed was also influenced by tube geometry. These results show that the new HSLA steels provide excellent energy absorption and that designers can use these steels at relatively light gages to reduce vehicle weight without sacrificing crashworthiness, even at low temperature.