Experimental an‎d Numerical Crashworthiness Analysis of Adhesively-Bonded Bio-Inspired Composite Reinforced Aluminum Energy-Absorbing Structure under Oblique Dynamic an‎d Quasi-Static Loading

9/17/2026 12:00:00 AM

With the increasing number of vehicles an‎d the tightening of environmental stan‎dards, growing attention has been directed toward improving crash safety an‎d reducing vehicle weight in the automotive industry. In addition, population growth an‎d the expansion of the transportation sector have led to an increase in road accidents, resulting in significant human, economic, an‎d social losses. To address this challenge, recent innovations in energy absorbers particularly bio-inspired structures have gained considerable interest among researchers due to their superior crash safety an‎d favorable weight efficiency. In this thesis, a novel adhesively bonded aluminum/composite hybrid structure, termed AHEIS, inspired by the skeletal framework of the marine sponge Euplectella aspergillum, is introduced. The design integrates U-shaped aluminum profiles with corner-bonded CFRP components using structural adhesive, enabling the composite to follow the stable an‎d predictable crushing pattern of the metallic frame. The crashworthiness performance of AHEIS was investigated experimentally an‎d numerically under oblique quasi-static an‎d dynamic loadings at inclination angles of 10°, 15°, 20°, 25°, an‎d 30°. A finite element model was developed in LS-DYNA, aiming to optimize the structure so that effective energy absorption occurs prior to joint failure an‎d without undesirable global buckling. Energy absorption indicators, including total energy absorption (EA), specific energy absorption (SEA), maximum crushing force (MFC), initial peak force (IPF), mean crushing force (MCF), an‎d crushing force efficiency (CFE), were eva‎luated for 115 quasi-static an‎d 85 dynamic test configurations. The findings of this thesis confirm the effectiveness of the bio-inspired geometry an‎d adhesive bonding in metal/composite hybrid structures, highlighting the high potential of this approach for application in advanced automotive crash management systems.

جاذب انرژي , الهام از طبيعت , سازه‌هاي فلز/كامپوزيت , اتصالات چسبي , بارگذاري ديناميكي مورب

Energy absorber , Bio-inspired design , ; Aluminum/composite hybrid structures , Adhesive joints , Oblique dynamic loading

Alireza Baratian Sani Devin

Hamed Saeidi Googarchin