Author(s)

G. Belloni, A. Girotti, A. Lo Conte

Abstract

Crashworthiness of thin walled structures: results of numerical analyses G. Belloni, A. Girotti, A. Lo Conte Department of Mechanical Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, Italy Abstract When a crash of railway vehicles occurs, energy absorption takes place both in the structural components and in specific energy absorbing components. A thin walled structure with rectangular cross section shapes was studied in order to develop a data base system relating to the formation of plas- tic hinges on components for railway structures which have optimized cross section shapes. A study was made of the collapse mechanism, the variations of the load- carrying capacity and the energy absorption on shell thickness, initial im- perfection and strain rate, both in the case of quasi-static buckling and of dynamic impact. The thin walled rectangular cross section was studied in order to use it as a structural and/or an absorbing energy component. 1 Introduction Computer capabilities and dynami

Keywords