Numerical investigation of sinusoidally patterned thin-walled tubes with variable wall thickness under quasi-static axial loading

Abstract

Enhancing the crashworthiness and energy-absorption capacity of lightweight tubular structures is essential for improving safety while meeting modern demands for weight reduction in engineering applications. This study aims to investigate the effects of sinusoidal corrugation patterns with variable wall thickness on the crashworthiness behavior of circular thin-walled tubes. A validated 2D axisymmetric finite-element model was developed in LS-DYNA, and corrugated tube configurations were designed with one-sided (OS) and double-sided (DS) thickness variations, and their quasi-static compression responses were examined. The results revealed that corrugation geometry significantly enhances crashworthiness characteristics compared to a straight tube. The OS-2.75 configuration exhibited the most pronounced improvements, achieving increases of 31% in mean crushing force, 34.3% in total absorbed energy, and 13.5% in specific energy absorption (SEA). Meanwhile, the DS-2.75 model showed enhancements of up to 24% and 20% in mean crushing force and total energy absorption, respectively, with the DS-2.5 tube offering a favorable balance between mass reduction and improved performance. The findings demonstrate that corrugation-based thickness tailoring is a robust and efficient design strategy for improving the crashworthiness of thin-walled tubes. The presented approach offers valuable guidelines for the development of lightweight energy-absorbing components in automotive, aerospace, and protective engineering applications.