Crashworthiness Performance of Lattice-Filled Thin-Walled Single and Multi-Tubes Configurations: A Novel Comparative Experimental Study Under Constant Mass Constraints

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors
Mahmoud Sultan 1
Anwar Kandil 1
Mohammed Saber 1 , 2
Mohamed Baraya 1 , 3
1 Department of Production Engineering and Mechanical Design, Faculty of Engineering, Port Said University, Port Fouad, 42526, Egypt
2 Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, King Faisal University, Al Ahsa, 31982, Saudi Arabia
3 Department of Mechanical Engineering, College of Engineering, Jouf University, Sakaka, 72388, Saudi Arabia
10.22055/jacm.2026.49329.5894
Abstract
Enhancing crashworthiness of lightweight structures is a critical objective in modern engineering. Thin-walled tubes filled with lattice structures represent a promising strategy for improving crashworthiness performance while minimizing mass. This study presents a systematic experimental investigation into the crashworthiness performance of lattice-filled single and multi-thin-walled square tubes. Six distinct models are designed under a constant mass constraint of 98 ± 1 g, enabling fair performance comparisons. The configurations include single, bi, and tri-tube designs, each tested with either an empty or a Body-Centered Cubic (BCC) lattice-filled core. All specimens are manufactured using Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) with Polylactic Acid Plus (PLA+) material, with three identical specimens per configuration. Quasi-static compression tests are conducted at 5 mm/min, and key crashworthiness metrics are evaluated. Results demonstrate that lattice-filled configurations consistently outperform their empty-core counterparts, with improvements in total energy absorption (ETA) of 22.5%, 6.6%, and 10.6% for single, bi, and tri-tube designs, respectively. The tri-tube filled core (TFC) configuration achieves the best overall performance, recording the highest ETA (792.8 J) and specific energy absorption (ESA) of 8.12 J/g, representing improvements of 40.0% and 41.7% over the baseline single empty-core configuration. Furthermore, the TFC model exhibits the highest mean crushing force (14.43 kN) and crushing force efficiency (0.571), indicating stable progressive deformation with symmetric concertina-like folding modes. The study concludes that combining multi-tubular geometry with internal lattice reinforcement significantly enhances crashworthiness while maintaining mass efficiency. These findings offer practical design guidelines for developing lightweight energy absorbers in automotive, aerospace, and protective equipment applications.
Keywords
Lattice structures
Crashworthiness performance
Energy absorption
Crash box
Multi-thin-walled tubes
FDM 3D printing
Subjects

Publisher’s Note Shahid Chamran University of Ahvaz remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

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Journal of Applied and Computational Mechanics

Articles in Press, Corrected Proof
Available Online from 08 June 2026