Some comments on the energy-absorbing effectiveness factor

This paper discusses the energy-absorbing effectiveness factor which provides a ratio between the energy absorbed in a structural system with the total potentially available elastic and plastic strain energies in all the materials used in the construction. Experimental and numerical predictions for the factor are expressed in terms of the solidity ratio, or relative density, for various tubes and multicellular sections subjected to static and impact axial loadings. The factor illustrates the effectiveness of multicellular systems when compared to simple regular geometries. The effect of infilling is discussed along with several other factors. The energy-absorbing effectiveness factor is a useful dimensionless quantity to assist in the choice of efficient designs of structural systems which require an energy-absorbing capability.