High-Performance Impact Absorbing Materials — The Concept, Design Tools and Applications

Abstract

Motivation for the undertaken research is to respond to requirements for high impact energy absorption e.g. in the following cases: i) structures exposed for risk of extreme blast, ii) light, thin wall tanks with high impact protection, iii) vehicles with high crashworthiness, iv) protective barriers, etc. Typically, the suggested solutions focus on the design of passive energy absorbing systems. These systems are frequently based on the aluminium and/or steel honeycomb packages characterised by a high ratio of specific energy absorption. However high is the energy absorption capacity of such elements they still remain highly redundant structural members, which do not carry any load in an actual operation of a given structure. In addition, passive energy absorbers are designed to work effectively in pre-defined impact scenarios. For example, the frontal honeycomb cushions are very effective during a symmetric axial crash of colliding cars but are completely useless in other types of crash loading. Consequently, distinct and sometimes completely independent systems must be developed for specific collision scenarios.