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Crashworthiness optimisation for the rectangular tubes with axisymmetric and uniform thicknesses under offset loading

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Abstract

This study is aimed to compare and optimise the crashing performances of an axisymmetric rectangular tube (ART) and a uniform thickness tube (UTT) under offset loading. Both ART and UTT are strengthened with diaphragms. Numerical simulations for the initial UTT with diaphragms under offset loading were firstly performed based on the experimentally validated finite element model (FEM), which illustrated that deformation process varied from stable mode to bending-sliding mode with an increase offset distance of 0–60 mm. Then, design of experiment (DOE) method was employed to determine the design domains of UTT and ART under various offset distances. Based on the results of DOE, three deformation regions were identified and parametric studies showed that the thicknesses of tubes and diaphragms had significant effects on their crashing performances. Subsequently, the irregular design domains derived from the impact condition with offset distance of 45 mm were selected to search the optimal thickness configurations of both UTT and ART. Finally, the multi-objective optimisation (MOD) was conducted by using non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm (NAGA-II) to minimise the initial peak crushing force (IPCFd) and maximise the specific energy absorption (SEAd) under multiple offset loadings. The obtained Pareto fronts showed that ART generally achieved higher IPCFd and SEAd; however, ART outperformed UTT for both IPCFd and SEAd in certain design domains. The outcomes provide insights into the design and selection of thin-walled structures for engineering applications.

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Funding

This work is supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 51675537, U1334208) and the National Key Research and Development Program of China (No. 2016YFB1200505-016).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Traffic Safety on Track Transportation Engineering, Central South University, Ministry of Education, Changsha, 410075, China

    Kai Xu, Ping Xu, Chengxing Yang, Tiantian Wang, Shuguang Yao & Qi Huang

  2. Joint International Research Laboratory of Key Technology for Rail Traffic Safety, Central South University, Changsha, 410075, China

    Kai Xu, Ping Xu, Chengxing Yang, Tiantian Wang, Shuguang Yao & Qi Huang

  3. National & Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Safety Technology for Rail Vehicle, Changsha, Hunan, China

    Kai Xu, Ping Xu, Chengxing Yang, Tiantian Wang, Shuguang Yao & Qi Huang

  4. CRRC Changchun Railway Vehicles Co. LTD, Changchun, 130062, China

    Benhuai Li

  5. CRRC Qingdao Sifang Co. LTD, Qingdao, 266111, China

    Quanwei Che

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  1. Kai Xu
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Correspondence to Tiantian Wang.

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Replication of results

The results are presented in Fig. 8 and the corresponding raw data are given in ESM_1.xlsx. The results are presented in Fig. 11 and the corresponding raw data are given in ESM_2.xlsx. The results are presented in Fig. 17 and the corresponding raw data are given in ESM_3.xlsx. The results are presented in Figs. 18 and 19, and the corresponding raw data are given in ESM_4.xlsx. The results are presented in Fig. 20 and the corresponding raw data are given in ESM_5.xlsx. The results are presented in Fig. 21 and the corresponding raw data are given in ESM_6.xlsx. The corresponding raw data of design variable and result for LHS sampling are given in ESM_7.xlsx.

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Xu, K., Xu, P., Yang, C. et al. Crashworthiness optimisation for the rectangular tubes with axisymmetric and uniform thicknesses under offset loading. Struct Multidisc Optim 62, 957–977 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00158-020-02535-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00158-020-02535-1

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