Column Interaction in Tufted Sandwich Structures Under Edgewise Loading

Tufted sandwich panels have been shown to be effective energy absorbing structures when subjected to in-plane compressive loads, such as those exhibited during an automotive vehicle side impact. However, up to now, no focus has been paid to understanding the complex failure mechanisms that take place during this type of loading, in particular what happens to the individual tufts, both during and after failure. In this study, an experimental test procedure was used to observe the behaviour of tufts during edgewise crushing. Overall, the tufted samples showcased a prolonged and more stable failure than the untufted baseline. The test also showed a clear drifting and stacking motion of the tufts, as well as highlighting a number of secondary failure mechanisms that take place, that have not been documented before. Further understanding of how these occur could lead to better performance and controllability of the global failure of such a structure.