Static axial crush performance of unfilled and foam-filled aluminum–composite hybrid tubes

In this paper, we describe an experimental investigation on the static axial crush performance of aluminum–composite hybrid tubes, containing filament-wound E-glass fiber reinforced epoxy over-wrap around aluminum tubes. Both unfilled and foam-filled hybrid tubes were tested. The fiber orientation angle in the overwrap was either ±45 or ±75° to the tube axis. Both round and square aluminum tube cross sections were considered. Some of the tubes were filled with epoxy foam. The static axial crush resistances of these tubes are compared in terms of the maximum load, mean crush load, crush energy and specific energy absorption. The deformation modes of these tubes are also described.