Iranian Journal of Mechanical Engineering Transactions of the ISME

Iranian Journal of Mechanical Engineering Transactions of the ISME

Design and Analysis of Impact Attenuator for Formula Student Car

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors
1 Department of Mechanical Engineering, Central Tehran Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
2 Department of mechanical engineering, Central Tehran branch, Tehran, Iran.
3 Department of Mechanical Engineering, Central Tehran branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
Abstract
In this article, the axial crushing behavior of energy absorbers is analyzed. Numerical analysis compares absorbers with various cross-sections such as circular, square, hexagonal, conical, and square frustum under impact loading, using ABAQUS software. The effect of velocity on proportions such as the type of deformation during impact, energy absorption density, and maximum collision strength values have been investigated. This study identifies and interprets the variations and parameters affecting the adsorbent efficiency. Additionally, the initial peak force of the conical section was significantly reduced, achieving 21% higher specific energy absorption compared to other designs. This study also focuses on dynamic energy absorbers for Formula Student competitions, aiming to improve their efficiency. The addition of grooves and holes increased the efficiency of the crushing force (η) by 38% and significantly enhanced the energy absorption per unit mass known as specific energy absorption (SEA) is also presented, which is an innovation not previously explored. By reducing the initial maximum force, increasing the crushing length, and incorporating symmetric folding, a new model was developed, enhancing both energy absorption capacity and overall efficiency.
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Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 31 May 2025