Thin-walled corrugated structures: A review of crashworthiness designs and energy absorption characteristics

Abstract

Abstract It is widely known that the demand for lightweight structures with excellent energy absorption capacity is paramount in numerous engineering applications. Many publications have revealed that corrugated structures can collapse in a relatively controlled manner with a uniform force-displacement response and have remarkable energy absorption efficiency when compared with traditional structures without corrugations. The present work provides a comprehensive overview of recent advances in the development of corrugated structures for energy absorption applications, also considering the effects of corrugation characteristics on their crashworthiness. Such advanced energy absorbers include corrugated tubes, corrugated tapered tubes, corrugated beam and plates, corrugated honeycombs, corrugated core sandwich panels and other hybrid structures with complex corrugations. This review demonstrates that thin-walled structures with introduced corrugations can achieve more efficient and effective energy absorption. Finally, contemporary challenges of design and manufacture are discussed, as well as future directions for corrugated structures. This synopsis provides a useful platform for researchers and engineers designing corrugated structures for energy absorption applications.