Lightweight design to improve crushing behaviour of multi-stitched composite tubular structures under impact loading

This paper presents experimental and numerical studies on the effect of multi-stitching pattern on the energy absorption capability of composite tubular structures under impact loading. A new multi-stitching pattern was developed to study the increase of specific energy absorption capabilities in GFRP and CFRP crash absorbers. The stitching pattern on both specimens showed a significant increase in energy absorption capability under impact loading. According to our results, the specific energy absorption of GFRP and CFRP composite tubes are 17% and 18% higher than non-stitched specimens respectively. A multi-shell finite element model was constructed to predict the axial crushing behaviour and energy absorption capability of composite structures under impact loading. The method is based on an energy-based contact card modelling technique in the stitched and non-stitched area, and the initiation of main central crack growth occurs when the critical separation (PARAM function) is attained, and this represents the functionality of the stitched area during an impact event. The developed numerical approach is efficient in terms of accuracy and simplicity in comparison with the existing methods for multi-layered composites structures.