Application of fibre-reinforced composites beam as energy absorption member in vehicle

In this study, a new design concept of impact beam completely made of fibre-reinforced polymers (FRPs) is proposed, which combines the conventional thin-wall tube with square cross-section and embedded short tubes with circular cross-section. Such architecture can not only retain the assemble convenience owing to square cross section of the outer tube but also had the high energy absorption of the inner circular tubes which face towards the external impact force. Quasi-static compression tests were performed to investigate the basic characteristics including energy absorption and strength of the new designed impact beam. Experimental results showed that, compared with the conventional architecture of the composites impact beam, the new design was able to obtain both high energy absorption and tension of the impact beam. The combination of square cross-sectional glass FRP tube with embedded circular cross-sectional carbon FRP tubes had the highest synergetic energy absorption capability.