Experimental and Theoretical Investigations of Lateral Indentation Process on Thin-Walled Quadrangular Metal Columns by Solid Cylindrical Indenter

This article performs theoretical and experimental studies on quadrangular metal columns during the indentation process. The samples are laterally compressed between a rigid platen and a solid cylindrical indenter under the quasi-static loading. Several columns are prepared with different cross sections, initial lengths, wall thicknesses and various alloy materials and are tested by indenters with different diameters. Effects of mentioned characteristics are investigated on crashworthiness parameters that have a key role in design of an energy absorber such as total absorbed energy and specific absorbed energy. Based on experimental observations, two theoretical models of plastic deformation are introduced. The theoretical equations are derived to predict energy–displacement diagram of quadrangular metal columns. Experimental results indicate that in a sample with a certain cross section, by increasing indenter diameter, total absorbed energy increases. Performed comparisons between theoretical predictions and the corresponding experimental measurements show that both of the theories and experiments illustrate the same trend for energy absorption capability by columns with respect to variations of initial length, wall thickness and material type of columns and diameter of rigid indenter.