Enhancing the energy absorption of AlSi10Mg thin-walled tubes with internal lattice structure through laser powder bed fusion

Abstract Heat-treated aluminium thin-walled tubes combine efficient energy absorptive properties with low weight, making them common engineering structures for impact mitigation. Recently, the integration of foam cores within these structures further increases their energy absorption capabilities, however, these foams are stochastic leading to unpredictable failure response and negligible load-bearing enhancements. This study instead integrates a heat-treated aluminium alloy (AlSi10Mg) strut-based lattice structure as the cores for thin-walled tubes through the additive manufacturing process of laser powder bed fusion. Fabricated for lattice relative densities between 10–20% the lattice reinforced thin-walled tubes observe a specific energy absorption increase by up to 223% from standard AlSi10Mg thin-walled tubes. Numerical modelling and experimental testing both confirm the excellent energy absorption of the proposed structures.