INFLUENCE OF STIFFENERS ON ENERGY ABSORPTION OF THIN-WALLED TUBE

Abstract

This paper investigates the effect of adding stiffeners on the energy
absorption capacity of the thin-walled rectangular tube. Adding two and four
stiffeners to the tube causes an increase in peak compressive load of 9.7% and
37%, respectively, compared to the thin-walled rectangular tube without any
stiffener. However, the specific energy absorptions of thin-walled rectangular
tubes with two and four stiffeners decrease by 17.5% and 44%, compared to
that of the thin-walled rectangular tube without stiffeners. There are cracks
appearing at the welding points during the compression process of the thinwalled rectangular tubes with stiffeners, which is an obstacle when we use spot
welding in building the samples.