Energy Absorption Characteristics of Thin-Walled Tubes Filled with Rice Husk and Kenaf Fibers

This study investigates the energy absorption characteristics of thin-walled tubes filled with rice husk and kenaf fibers when compressed under axial compression. The aim of this study is to evaluate the crashworthiness parameters such as energy absorption (EA), initial peak load (IPL), crush force efficiency (CFE) and specific energy absorption (SEA). Experimental results show that tubes filled with rice husk and kenaf exhibit significant improvements in overall energy absorption compared to empty tubes. However, while both fillers enhanced EA, the SEA values were lower than predicted. Thus, it is suggested that further optimization, such as adjusting filler density or exploring hybrid filler combinations, could improve crashworthiness. This study highlights the potential for rice husk and kenaf fibers as sustainable filler options for lightweight, impact-resistant designs in automotive, aerospace, and other engineering applications, with opportunities for improvement in future research.