Characteristics of new-type energy absorber for vehicle collision

A new type energy absorber was introduced, which is composed of thousands of thin ring plates with different diameters. Because it can switch the impact to thousands of shearing actions among thin ring plates inside the absorber, the impact energy is decentralized and dissipated gradually, the impact acting time is extended and the peak of acceleration is reduced obviously. Numerical simulations by finite element method (FEM) coupled with smoothed particle hydrodynamics (SPH) method were preformed to predict the energy absorption characteristics. Energy absorption ability with different impact velocities was studied and the effects of thickness and material of ring plates were discussed. The sled crash test was carried out to validate the result of simulations. The new type absorber is effective for collision that impact velocity is lower than 40 km/h.