Experimental quasi-static axial crushing of top-hat and double-hat thin-walled sections

Quasi-static axial crushing tests have been carried out on thin-walled top-hat and double-hat mild steel spot-welded sections. Several post-test collapse modes were identified for the structures and the associated energy-absorbing characteristics have been examined and compared with previous tests. A new empirical equation is suggested for relating the structural effectiveness to the structural density of top-hat and double-hat sections.