Experimental and Numerical Analysis of the Effects of Geometrical and Mechanical Parameters on the Folding Force of Extruded Square Energy Absorbers, Under Out of Plane Loading

In most engineering structures, specially moving ones and in general in the ones under dynamic and static loads, absorbing energy systems are used for preventing or reducing damages due to impacts. This paper examines the effective absorbing capability of the extruded single thin walled structures as absorbing energy systems. In this work, about 90 tests were carried out, wherein the effects of geometrical parameters, such as the thickness and the height of structures, mechanical parameters, such as yielding stresses, and the change in boundary conditions in the value of folding force in out of plane loading were investigated. Finally, a numerical study, which was based on finite element method, was conducted for comparison purposes. The accuracy of the numerical model was found to be about 95%.