Paper: ASAT-13-ST-34

13th International Conference on

AEROSPACE SCIENCES & AVIATION TECHNOLOGY,
ASAT- 13, May 26 28, 2009, E-Mail: asat@mtc.edu.eg
Military Technical College, Kobry Elkobbah, Cairo, Egypt
Tel : +(202) 24025292 24036138, Fax: +(202) 22621908

Finite Element Modeling of Crushing Behaviour

of Thin Tubes with Various Cross-Sections
M. M. Younes*
Abstract: Typical steel square plates of 300mm side length and 1mm thickness were used to
simulate six tubes with different cross-sections. These cross-sections were selected symmetric
from round-shapes as circle and ellipse and polygon-shapes as triangle, square, pentagon and
hexagon. The effect of varying configurations of tube cross-section shape on the deformation
response, collapse mode and energy absorption characteristics of tubes under quasi-static
axial compression have been studied numerically. The commercial finite element package
ABAQUS/Explicit was used in the present analysis. The axial load-displacement results
accompanied by the fold formation of various tubes were investigated and compared with
published experimental work. Variation of the initial peak load and the mean crushing force
with the tube side breadth and the fold depth were carefully examined. Based on the finite
element simulation results, empirical formulas for the absorbed energy and the fold depth
were developed as a function of the side breadth-to-thickness ratio of the tubes.
Keywords: Finite element; Initial peak load; Mean crushing force; Fold formation; Axial
loading; Absorbed energy; Tubes

Introduction
Numerical methods are now extensively applied in engineering due to the advances in
computing. Of all the numerical methods, the finite element method is the most popular
convenient approach, because it is easy to implement for all kinds of boundary and loading
conditions and it can be used for the analysis of large complex structures. It is worth
mentioning that experimental measurements are considered a powerful data required to
approve most of mathematical models. Paik et al. [1] performed a series of experiments on the
quasi-static crushing of stiffened square tubes and brought forward an empirical formula for
the mean crushing load. The experimental results showed that the mean crushing load
changed with the variation of the stiffener directions. Zhang and Suzuki [2] analyzed the
effects of longitudinal and transverse stiffeners on the quasi-static crushing of stiffened square
tubes by using the non-linear finite element program LS-DYNA. The obtained numerical data
was used in prediction the mean crushing load and the equivalent thickness of the stiffened
tubes. Recent numerical tools have allowed that a range of quasi-static problems can be
analyzed effectively. Gupta et al. [3] applied the finite element method to simulate the axial
compression of the tubes of round cross-sections. An axi-symmetric model was used to obtain
the deformed shapes and the crushing load at different stages of loading. Gupta and Gupta [4]
have carried out experimental studies of axial compression of thin walled aluminum and mild
steel tubes of varying diameter to thickness ratios. The effect of annealing and presence of a

Egyptian Armed Forces

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Paper: ASAT-13-ST-34

hole at mid height of the tube on the energy absorption characteristics and collapse mode
transitions was examined. Results revealed that a diamond deformation mode was generated
in all the tube specimens. A great number of studies have been carried out on the axial
crushing of thin-walled tubes. Wierzbicki and Abramowicz [5] developed a simplified model
based on rigid plastic assumptions and obtained the mean crushing force for square tubes.
Abramowicz and Jones [6,7] conducted a series of experiments, and modified the collapse
models by taking account of strain-rate sensitivity and effective crushing distance. Grzebieta
[8] proposed a method for determining the load history between a peak and a minimum during
an oscillation of the load-compression curve of round tubes. Gupta and Velmurugan [9]
studied experimentally the internal/external folding of round tubes. The folding parameter
(ratio of the inside to the total fold length) was determined experimentally and employed in a
proposed analysis. Wierzbicki et al. [10] studied the axi-symmetric mode of deformation of
round tubes by considering partly internal and partly external folding. It was shown that the
load compression curve is dependent on the folding parameter, while the mean collapse load
and the folding length are independent of it. Closed form solutions were obtained for the
instantaneous and mean crushing force, the effective crush distance and the length of the local
folding wave. Singace et al. [11-13] gave an analysis of the axi-symmetric and multi-lobe or
diamond mode of deformation to determine the eccentricity factor and crushing load. It was
concluded that measured values of the eccentricity factor and the critical folding angles
obtained for tubes of different materials and geometric ratios are independent of the tubes
material and geometric ratios. There is a considerable amount of published data on the
response of composite tubes to axial crushing [14]. Many of these studies utilize circular
cross-section tubular specimens to determine the energy absorption capability of the material.
Farley [15] studied the effect of specimen geometry on the energy absorption capability of
composite materials. He found that, changes in section lay-up that lead to an increase in
modulus lead to higher crush strengths and energy absorption. Mamalis et al. [16-18]
analyzed the collapse behavior and deformation mechanism of thin-walled non-circular
composite tube, thin-walled composite conical shell, and braced elliptical tube. They
contributed with a valuable data of crashworthiness of composite structures.
The aims of this study are to obtain numerical data on the crushing of different cross-section
tubes, and to develop simple empirical expressions for predicting the absorbed energy and the
fold formation of steel tubes. A series of finite element calculations was carried out on six
tube models crushed axially in a quasi-static condition by using ABAQUS/Explicit. The
cross-section shapes of the six tubes were circle, ellipse, triangle, square, pentagon and
hexagon. Effect of the side breadth and the generated fold depth on the initiated peak load and
the mean crushing force of different tubes were carefully examined.

Finite Element Model

The finite element simulation of the case described herein was carried out using the
commercial code ABAQUS/Explicit version 6.4. Six tubes with different geometrical crosssections were modeled in the present study. All the tube models were developed with same
lengths and equal cross-section perimeters of 300 mm each. A uniform thickness of 1 mm is
considered for all the wall tubes. The difference between the whole tubes was only the shape
of the cross-sections. The latter were selected from uniform geometries like a circle, an
ellipse, a triangle, a square, a pentagon and a hexagon. Detailed description of the tube crosssections is illustrated in Fig. (1). For comparing reasons; the material used in the simulation
was provided from the actual material properties of steel experimentally measured by Paik et
al. [1]. The mechanical properties of the steel material were assigned into the ABAQUS input
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file. A list of numerical values of the basic material properties required for the tube models is
given in Fig. (2). All the tube models used in the present finite element simulation were
generated by using the element S4R. This element is a three-dimensional doubly curved fournode shell element. Each node has three-displacement and three-rotation degrees of freedom.
Moreover, this element is considered a general-purpose shell element where it allows for large
strains as load increases. In order to predict the overall response accurately, the mesh of finite
elements was fine and uniform with equal number of elements along the length of the tube
and through its circumferential direction. On the other side, all the tube models were crushed
axially between upper and lower rigid parallel plates. These two parallel plates were
simulated by using three-dimensional four-node rigid elements R3D4. The tubes were crushed
by pushing down the upper rigid plate. The latter was fixed in all degrees of freedom except
the vertical downward displacement where the loading was applied. However, the lower rigid
plate was stationary by constraining its whole degrees of freedom. All tube models rested free
on the lower rigid plate however the applied force was attained as a reaction created from the
pushing of the upper plate. The quasi-static loading condition was achieved by moving the
upper plate slowly downward over a sufficiently long time. It is noted that the tubes were not
completely free due to the effect of friction between the tube models and the crushing parallel
plates. The progressive deformation shape was continuously monitored for each tube and the
corresponding force-axial displacement curve was depicted.

Experimental Validation
The validation of the finite element tube model was made by direct comparison with the
experimental results and the collapse observations of the square tube US-2 subjected to quasistatic axial compression and examined by Paik et al. [1]. The structural geometry of the
specimen and the properties of the used material are shown in Fig. (2). All other testing
details used in the experimental works were necessarily simulated in finite element model.
The progressive collapse of the finite element tube model and the examined specimen at
various stages of the compression are compared in Fig. (3). Visual examination of the pictures
showed good agreements between the numerical simulations and the experimental outcomes.
Comparing the predicted load-displacement behaviour with the experimental results in [1] and
the obtained calculations in [2] revealed good correlation between curves at the same
displacement values as shown in Fig. (4).
Table (1) lists the comparison of results between the previously published work and the
present finite element analysis.

Investigation of Crushing Behaviour

The present numerical simulation provides an opportunity to predict the fold formation of
various tubes. Figures (5-10) display the collapse mechanisms accompanied by the
corresponding axial- and energy-displacement curves of different tube models. Folding modes
were symmetric about the principal axes of all the tubes cross-sections. Moreover, an axisymmetric mode was noticed during the deformation of the circular tube. The entire tube
models initiated folding from the top end in contact with the movable upper plate. However,
the circular tube began to fold from the bottom end in contact with the fixed lower plate. It is
worth mentioning that, the folding process of polygonal tubes was initiated by random interior
and exterior rotating of the upper edges of sidewalls. Tubes of square and hexagonal crosssections created symmetric inward and outward folds on each two opposite sidewalls. Folds
of the triangular tube initiated by curving its upper edges completely inward. However, the
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Paper: ASAT-13-ST-34

initial inward folding of the pentagonal tube was appeared in only two non-successive
sidewalls. After complete constituting of the initial folds, similar sequential folds were
regularly created and the crushing was propagated along the sidewalls of all polygonal tubes.
The folds generated in all tube models were in contact and adjoining each other except for
that ones of the triangular tube. This may be attributed to the acute inner angles between the
sidewalls which increase the strength of the triangular tube and allow the rigid body
behaviour to appear early before occurring a complete adjoining of folds. On the other hand,
the crushing behaviour of the elliptical tube was quite complex and totally different from the
deformation characteristics of the other tube models. The upper cross-section of the elliptical
tube was initially stretched in the direction of maximum diameter as shown in Fig. (6).
Afterwards, the crushing was propagated suddenly allover a region bounded by the upper
stretched cross-section and another similar one located nearly at the middle height of the tube.
Progressive compression generated similar crushing characteristics on the rest of the elliptical
tube model. When the walls of the tubes stopped folding and behaved as a rigid body, the
number of folds was observed maximum with fourteen folds in the circular tube and
minimum with three folds in the triangular tube.

Load- and Energy-Displacement Characteristics

Figures (5-10) indicate the initiation and end of the typical axial load- and the energydisplacement curves of various tube models. The absorbed energy was obtained by integrating
the area under the axial load-displacement curve until the folding of the walls ended.
Afterwards, the mean crushing load was calculated by dividing the absorbed energy by the
total displacement. Maintaining all parameters of the finite element model, a series of the
load-displacement curves were obtained from different shape tube models. The general loaddisplacement characteristics of all tubes can be described by a rapid rise of the force initiated
due to the elastic compression of the tubes. After that a rapid drop of the force was observed
when one end of the tube models started folding. A steep rising of the force was again noticed
after the first folding of walls ended and the second folding of the adjacent walls started
generation. A drop of the force occurred again when a new folding started, and the force rose
if the walls came into contact. This response was repeated until the folding ended and the
models behaved as a rigid body. A uniform response was noted in all tube curves except for
the elliptical tube, the response was irregular. It is worth mentioning that all the numerical
results of the energy-displacement relations were nearly linear all over the crushing intervals.
Comparing the force-displacement curves seen in Figs. (5-10) can help analyze the behaviours
of different crushing mechanisms. It was clearly seen in Fig. (5) that the higher number of
local peaks along the force-displacement curve reflected the great number of folds created in
the circular tube. The difference between the upper and lower bounds of the load values was
significantly large in the square and triangular tube curves and quite narrow in the hexagonal
tube curve. For the pentagonal tube, the difference between upper and lower bounds of the
load values started large then damped gradually with the compression progress until reaching
a stable load as shown in Fig.(8). On the other side, the general crushing response of the
elliptical tube was totally different where the values of the load and consequently the
absorbed energy were pronouncedly high and the load peaks were scattered in a distinct
manner all over the curve. This may be attributed to the disturbance occurred during the
folding process of this tube shape. Figure (11) shows that the absorbed energy of the finite
element tube model decreases with an increase in the tube side breadth-to-thickness ratio up
to the tube of four sides. Then, the absorbed energy starts increasing at the triangular tube.
The relationship between the absorbed energy and the side breadth-to-thickness ratio of the
tubes can be empirically expressed as:
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Paper: ASAT-13-ST-34

E 5.19 1.48cos[(0.05Sb / t ) 0.6]

(1)

where;
E = Absorbed energy
Sb = Side breadth,
T = Tube thickness

Initial Peak Load and Mean Crushing Force

Figure (12) depicts the nonlinear relation between the increasing of the number of sides and
the decreasing of the side breadth of a polygonal tube of 300mm perimeter. Variations of the
initial peak load and mean crushing force with different number of sides (3-6) and various
side breadths (50-100 mm) are shown in Figs. (13,14) for the polygonal tubes. Generally, it
was observed that the initial peak load highly increased with the increasing of the number of
sides and greatly decreased with the increasing of the side breadth. Moreover, the initial peak
loads of the triangular and square tubes had closed magnitudes while values of the initial peak
loads of the pentagonal and hexagonal tubes were sharply far off. On the other side, the mean
crushing load was changed in a different manner with the number of sides and the side
breadth of the tubes. The mean crushing load greatly decreased with the increasing of both the
number of sides and the side breadth until reaching a minimum value at the square tube.
Subsequently, the mean crushing load began to increase with the increasing of the number of
sides and the side breadth of the tubes. It is worth mentioning that the initial peak load and
mean crushing force of the round (circular and elliptical) tubes were greatly higher than that
obtained from the polygonal tubes as compared in Table (2).

The Fold Depth and the Side Breadth of Tubes

The fold depth was investigated through a longitudinal path of the tube. This path was located
at the middle of one arbitrary face for all the sided tubes. The fold depth of the sided tubes
was compared with that obtained from the circular tube overall the tube span as shown in Fig.
(15). The bottom end of all tubes was located at the origin of the horizontal axis, however the
inward and/or outward fold profiles were recorded on the vertical axis of Fig. (15). It can be
noticed that the folds of the circular tube have the lowest depth (approximately 8 mm) and
bulged mainly outward. The profiles of all the folds are not so different except for the
pentagonal tube where its fold profile was not symmetric about the middle path. On the other
side and apart from the triangular tube, the fold depth was seen maximum in the square tube
and it generally decreased with increasing the number of sides of the polygonal tubes. In other
words, starting from a polygonal tube with four sides, the initiated fold depth is decreased
with the decreasing of the tube side breadth as depicted in Fig. (16). The relationship between
the fold depth and the side breadth-to-thickness ratio of the tubes can be empirically
expressed as:

Fd 8.302 exp[0.021( Sb / t )]
where;
Fd = Fold depth,
Sb = Side breadth,
t = Tube thickness
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(2)

Paper: ASAT-13-ST-34

Figure (16) shows that the results of the fold depth formula coincide with the numerical data.
This relation is valid for the polygonal tubes with number of sides greater than or equal four
sides.

Conclusion
The non-linear finite element model simulations provide much more detailed information than
other approaches. These are especially efficient in local folding and internal contact of
structural elements. In this paper, a study on the quasi-static crushing collapse of multi-sided
and round tubes was performed using a non-linear finite element program ABAQUS/Explicit.
Based on the numerical data, simple empirical formulas were developed to predict the
absorbed energy and the fold depth as a function of the side breadth-to-thickness ratio of the
tubes. From the present study, the following conclusion can be drawn:
-

All the tube models were crushed in symmetric concertina modes.

The greatest number of folds was observed fourteen in the circular cylinder and minimum
with three folds in the triangular tube.
The folds of the cylindrical tube were compact with short depth while the triangular tube
terminated folding without contact between folds.
The initial peak load increases with the increasing of the no. of sides of the tube and
decreases with the increasing of the side breadth.
The greatest energy absorption capacity was obtained by the circular cylinder while the
square tube absorbed minimum energy.
The mean crushing load recorded lowest value in case of the square tube however the
highest magnitude was noticed in the triangular tube.

References
[1]
[2]

[3]
[4]
[5]
[6]
[7]
[8]
[9]

J. K. Paik, J. Y. Chung, and M. S. Chun, On quasi-static crushing of a stiffened square

tube, J. Ship Res., Vol. 40, No. 3, pp. 258267, 1996.
A. Zhang, and K. Suzuki, A study on the effect of stiffeners on quasi-static crushing of
stiffened square tube with non-linear finite element method, Int. J. of Imp. Eng., Vol.
34, pp. 544555, 2007.
Gupta N. K., Sekhon G. S. and Gupta P. K., A Study of Formation in Axi-symmetric
Axial Collapse of Round Tubes, Int. J. Impact. Eng., Vol. 27, pp. 87-117, 2002.
Gupta N. K. and Gupta S. K., Effect of Annealing, Size and Cutouts on Axial Collapse
Behaviour of Circular Tubes, Int. J. of Mech. Sci., Vol. 35, pp. 519-613, 1993.
Wierzbicki T. and Abramowicz W., On the Crushing Mechanics of Thin-Walled
Structures, J. Appl. Mech., Vol. 50, No. 4a, pp. 72734, 1983.
Abramowicz W. and Jones N., Dynamic Axial Crushing of Square Tubes, Int. J.
Impact Eng., Vol. 2, No. 2, pp. 179208, 1984.
Abramowicz W. and Jones N., Dynamic Progressive Buckling of Circular and Square
Tubes, Int. J. Impact Eng., Vol. 4, No. 4, pp. 24370, 1986.
Grzebeita R. H., An Alternate Method for Determining the Behaviour of Round Stocky
Tubes Subjected to an Axial Crush Load, Thin Wall Struct., Vol., 9, pp. 61-89, 1990.
Gupta N. K., Velmurugan R., Consideration of Internal Folding and non Symmetric
Fold Formation in Axi-symmetric Axial Collapse of Round Tubes, Int. J. Solids
Struct., Vol. 34, No. 20, pp. 2611-40, 1997.
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Paper: ASAT-13-ST-34

[10] Wierzbicki T., Bhat S. U., Abramowicz W. and Brodikin D., A Two Folding Elements
Model of Progressive Crushing of Tubes, Int. J. Solids Struct., Vol. 29, No. 24, pp.
3269-88, 1992.
[11] Singace A. A. and EI-Sobky H., Further Experimental Investigation on the Eccentricity
Factor in the Progressive Crushing of Tubes, Int. J. Solids Struct., Vol. 33, No. 24, pp.
3517-38, 1996.
[12] Singace A. A, EI-Sobky H. and Reddy T. Y., On the Eccentricity Factor in the
Progressive Crushing of Tubes, Int. J. Solids Struct., Vol. 32, No. 24, pp. 3589-602,
1995.
[13] Singace A. A., Axial Crushing Analysis of Tubes Deforming in the Multi-Lobe
Mode, Int. J. Mech. Sci., Vol. 41, pp. 865-90, 1999.
[14] Hull D., A Unified Approach to Progressive Crushing of Fiber-Reinforced Composite
Tubes, Comp. Sci. Technol., Vol. 40, pp. 377-421, 1991.
[15] Farley G. L., Effects of Specimen Geometry on the Energy Absorption Capability of
Composite Materials, J. Comp. Mater., Vol. 20, pp. 390-400, 1986.
[16] Mamalis A. G., Manolakos D. E., Demosthenous G. A. and Ioannidis M. B., The
Deformation Mechanism of Thin-Walled Non-circular Composite Tubes Subjected to
Bending, Comp. Struct., Vol. 30, pp. 131-146, 1995.
[17] Mamalis A. G., Manolakos D. E., Demosthenous G. A. and Ioannidis M. B., Analysis
of Failure Mechanisms Observed in Axial Collapse of Thin-Walled Circular Fiberglass
Composite Tubes, Thin-Walled Struct., Vol. 24, pp. 335-352, 1996.
[18] Mamalis A. G., Manolakos D. E., Demosthenous G. A. and Ioannidis M. B.,
Analytical Modeling of the Static and Dynamic Axial Collapse of Thin-Walled
Fiberglass Composite Conical Shells, Int. J. Impact Eng., Vol. 19, No. 5-6, pp. 477492, 1997.

75 mm

100 mm

95.49 mm

50 mm
60 mm

50

100 mm

Fig. (1) Different shapes of uniform cross-sections used

in the F.E. analysis of a 300 mm perimeter tube.

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Paper: ASAT-13-ST-34
t
b

Dimensions of
the test specimen
L = 450 mm
b = 100 mm
t = 2.8 mm

Material properties required for

finite element model
Density = 7860 kg/m3
Youngs modulus = 205.8 GPa
Poissons ratio = 0.3
Yield strength = 310 MPa
Ultimate stress = 363.3 MPa
Fracture strain = 0.354

Fig. (2) Configuration of the test specimen US-2 in Ref. [1].

Fig. (3) Gradual crushing of the square tube US-2 [1] using the
present ABAQUS solution.

1
2

Fig. (4) Comparison between the crushing curves of the

square tube US-2 [1].

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Paper: ASAT-13-ST-34
7
Energy

Load(kN)

80
60

5.6
4.2

Load
40

2.8

20

1.4

0
0

50

100

150

200

Energy (kJ)

100

0
250

Displacement (mm)

Fig. (5) Gradual collapse and crushing results of the cylindrical tube.

450

45
36

Load (kN)

Energy
270

27
Load

180

18

90

Energy (kJ)

360

0
0

50

100

150

200

0
250

Displacement (mm)

Fig. (6) Gradual collapse and crushing results of the elliptical tube.
60

5
Energy

36

3
Load

24

12

0
0

50

100

150

200

Displacement (mm)

Fig. (7) Gradual collapse and crushing results of the hexagonal tube.

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0
250

Energy (kJ)

Load (kN)

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Paper: ASAT-13-ST-34
45

4.5
Energy

3.6

27

Energy (kJ)

Load (kN)

36

2.7

18

1.8
Load

0.9

0
0

50

100

150

0
250

200

Displacement (mm)

Fig. (8) Gradual collapse and crushing results of the pentagonal tube.
40

4
3.2

24

2.4

16

1.6

0.8

Load

0
0

50

100

150

200

Energy (kJ)

Load (kN)

Energy
32

0
250

Displacement (mm)

Fig. (9) Gradual collapse and crushing results of the square tube.

40

5
Load

24

16

Energy

100

0
250

0
0

50

150

200

Displacement (mm)

Fig. (10) Gradual collapse and crushing results of the triangular tube.
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Energy (kJ)

Load (kN)

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Paper: ASAT-13-ST-34
120
100

Side breadth

80
60
40
20
0
0

20

40

60

No. of sides

Fig. (12) Variation of the side breadth of

a polygonal tube of 300mm perimeter with
the number of sides.

55

55

50

50
Initial peak load

Initial peak load

Fig. (11) Variation of the absorbed energy

of polygonal tubes with the side
breadth-to-thickness ratio.

45
40
35
30

45
40
35
30

40

No. of sides

60

80

100

side breadth (mm)

27

27

24

24
Mean crushing Load

Mean crushing load

Fig. (13) Variation of the initial peak load with the number of sides
(left) and with the side breadth (right) of the polygonal tubes.

21
18
15

21
18
15
12

12
2

40

60

80

100

Side breadth (mm)

No. of sides

Fig. (14) Variation of the mean crushing load with the number of
sides (left) and with the side breadth (right) of the polygonal tubes

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Fig. (15) Variation of the fold formation along axial path at

the mid side breadth of tubes.

Fig. (16) Variation of the fold depth with the side

breadth-to-thickness ratio of the tube models.

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Paper: ASAT-13-ST-34

Table (1) Comparison between the presented results of F.E.M.,

experimental results in Ref.[1] and numerical solution in Ref.[2]

Parameter
Peak load (kN)
Mean load (kN)

Ref.[1]
337.12
100.98

Ref.[2]
357.23
101.32

F.E.M.
348.25
102.78

Table (2) Effect of variation of the tube cross-section on

the obtained finite element results

Cross-section
Triangular
Squarer
Pentagonal
Hexagonal
Circular
Elliptical

Max. load
(kN)
34.07
34.43
38.64
52.59
92.92
268.98

Mean load
(kN)
23.53
16.84
19.47
22.76
37.82
162.71

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Max. deformation
(mm)
191
234.73
217
218.92
235.39
233.29

Absorbed energy
(kJ)
4.41
3.75
4.22
4.90
6.42
40.59