Effects of Pre-Forming Process and PVC Foam Reinforcement on the Deformation Behavior of Aluminum Tube under Axial Loading

Abstract

In this study, the effects of pre-forming and foam reinforcement on the axial compression behavior of circular thin-walled aluminum tubes were experimentally investigated. Compression tests were performed in a computer controlled test machine at the cross-head speed of 1 mm/s. Pre-forming has changed the folding behavior of tube and increased the energy absorbing capacity 1.26 times that of empty tube. The PVC reinforcement has increased the energy absorbing capacity 1.22 times. PVC reinforcement increases the stability of tube wall deformation; hence it positively affects the energy absorption. The energy absorbing capacity of pre-formed and PVC foam reinforced tubes increase approximately 1.4 times that of empty tube. It was however shown that the reinforcement and pre-forming had no significant effect on the maximum load.