Crashworthiness of poplar wood veneer tubes

Abstract This work studies the potential of using wooden tubes for crash applications. The tubes were made from 1 mm thick “I214” poplar veneers, according to different stacking sequences. Four configurations were characterized under static crushing (5 mm/min) and the one that performed best ([90/04/90]) was chosen to undergo dynamic tests under a drop weight tower (5.7 m/s). This configuration presents significant energy absorption performance in static (31.6 J / g) and in dynamic (28.5 J / g) crushing for a material that is natural, ecological (low carbon footprint), recyclable, and low cost in comparison with other materials such as composite materials. As with composites, the position, number, and orientation of the plies directly affect the amount of energy absorbed. The use of poplar, one of the weakest woods in mechanical terms, shows the possibilities of wood for this use.