Experimental and numerical studies on the energy absorption characteristics of Al/CFRP corrugated web beams

Carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) is widely used in aircraft crashworthiness structures, but its unstable failure modes limit its energy absorption capability. This study proposes a hybrid aluminum/CFRP (Al/CFRP) corrugated web beam to enhance the energy absorption and progressive collapse under axial impact. Quasi-static crushing experiments were performed on CFRP and Al/CFRP corrugated web beams with 45° crushing triggers. Results revealed that the initial peak load and the total energy absorption of the Al/CFRP corrugated web beam increased by 16.68% and 34.62%, respectively, compared to those of the CFRP corrugated web beam. The specific energy absorption and the crushing force efficiency also improved by 13.22% and 1.51%, respectively. The CFRP corrugated web beam underwent transverse shearing, brittle fracture, and bending failures during crushing, resulting in a decline in energy absorption after a 40 mm displacement due to crack propagation. In contrast, the Al/CFRP corrugated web beam exhibited stable progressive collapse with sustained energy absorption up to a 60 mm displacement, benefiting from the plasticity of the aluminum layer. Detailed finite element models were validated against the experimental results, with the simulated failure morphologies and the energy absorption being consistent. The Al/CFRP corrugated web beam demonstrated superior crashworthiness, progressive collapse, and energy absorption capabilities under impact.