Crushing performance of an additively manufactured bio-inspired hybrid energy absorption profile

Bio-inspired structures have applications in various industries, including automotive, defense, aerospace, and biomedical industries, owing to their combination of high-strength and lightweight properties. To enhance their energy absorption performance, a novel design was developed by integrating a spiral component, inspired by the cross section of the date palm tree trunk (Latin: Phoenix dactylifera), into an empty aluminum tube. The energy absorption performance of a bio-inspired hybrid energy-absorbing profile (BIHEAP) was experimentally and numerically investigated. To ensure the reliability of the numerical studies, finite element models were generated using ANSYS LS-DYNA and subsequently validated through axial crushing tests. Design optimization studies were carried out using surrogate-based models, such as the response surface model and Kriging surrogate models, to increase the energy absorption performance of the BIHEAP, which has three different design variables (spiral revolution, wall thickness, and number of spiral tubes). The initial design of the BIHEAP exhibited a specific energy absorption capacity (SEA) and crush force efficiency (CFE) that surpassed those of the empty aluminum tube by 17.2 % and 4.6 %, respectively. The optimized BIHEAP design demonstrated SEA and CFE values that were 21.4 % and 32 % greater than those of the empty aluminum tube, respectively. When the initial and optimized BIHEAP design were compared, it was found that SEA and CFE was increased by 3.5 % and 26.1 %, respectively.