Investigation and optimization of energy absorption performance of axially joined metal and composite foam-filled hybrid tubes

Abstract Hybrid structures attract attention because they eliminate the disadvantages of composite and metal materials and have many potential applications. In this study, the energy absorption performances of single, double and triple hybrid tubes formed from different materials as metal/metal and metal/composite were examined experimentally and numerically. The hybrid tubes were filled with five different functional aluminum foams of different densities to improve their energy-absorbing performance. Multi-objective optimization (MOO) studies were carried out to obtain the highest specific energy absorption (SEA) and the lowest peak force configuration for each of the single, double and triple hybrid tubes. In MOO studies, functional foam densities (500–1500 kg/m3) and wall thicknesses (1–4 mm) were optimized by genetic algorithm. As a result, absorbed energy (AE) and SEA values of hybrid tubes with optimum foam densities and wall thicknesses increased.