The influence of grooves on the behavior of steel tube shock absorbers

Abstract

Major function of railway vehicles absorbers is to absorb energy through controlled deformation during frontal rail vehicle collisions. The results presented and discussed in this paper is a part of the research of one particular type of absorber consist of a thin-walled seamless tube and conical mandrel. The influence of the groove, which occurred during cold worked tube manufacturing, on the behavior and energy absorption of this type of shock absorber is analyzed. The coupled nonlinear Finite Element Analysis is used for calculation of stress-strain state and plastic deformation work/volume of tube absorbers with defects. The results of the research presented in this paper show that the grooves on outer surface of expansion tubes in some cases can be beneficial due to strain hardening process in root of stress concentrator i.e. defect. The beneficial effect of grooves is proven by simulation in which is obvious that the energy absorbed level could be higher on expansion tube with grooves.