Energy absorption of thin-walled tubes with a pre-folded origami-inspired structure

Thin-walled tubes are crucial for automotive energy absorption, protecting vehicles and occupants during collisions. This study presents the origami crash box, a novel design featuring inner concave and outer convex structures on a parallelogram tube to enhance energy absorption. These structures act as geometric defects, reducing initial buckling forces and promoting efficient collapse modes. Numerical simulations show that, compared to conventional tubes, the origami crash box triggers high-performance folding patterns, notably the complete diamond mode, leading to greater plastic damage, higher energy absorption, and lower peak forces. Parametric studies highlight the impact of geometric parameters on performance, guiding the design of origami crash boxes. Optimally designed origami crash boxes exhibit over 30% greater energy absorption and a maximum 40% reduction in initial peak force compared to traditional tubes, showcasing significant application potential.