Crashworthiness of circular tube of kenaf fiber composite for automotive applications

Abstract The purpose of this research is to study the effect of length and thickness from the point of view of energy absorption and on the crashworthiness parameters of the kenaf fiber circular tube composite. Kenaf fiber was chosen in this study due to its numerous advantages such as good mechanical properties, light weight, low cost, and availability. The specimens for this project were prepared and fabricated using a hand lay-up process. The specimens tested under axial compression tests were carried out with different thicknesses and lengths. The thickness and length of the circular tube of the kenaf fiber composite include three different thicknesses of 5, 8, and 10 mm and three different lengths of 50, 10, and 150 mm. A total of six specimens were tested and the energy absorption capabilities were evaluated. The parameters measured were the maximum crushing load, the average crushing load, the crush force efficiency, the total absorbed energy, and the specific absorbed energy. The specimen with length 50 mm and thickness 10 mm demonstrated a better crash force efficiency of 0.81% and displayed the highest specific energy absorption value of 35.33 J/kg compared to the other specimens. In conclusion, the effect of thickness revealed better results than the effect of length on the crashworthiness parameters.