Comprehensive analysis of energy absorption in bio-inspired horizontally grooved square tubular structures under axial quasi-static compression

Abstract The present study investigates the crashworthiness characteristics of bio-inspired horizontally grooved square tubular structures fabricated from aluminium alloy 6063 under axial quasi-static compression. A series of tubes with varying groove numbers (0–10) was analysed to evaluate energy absorption (EA), specific energy absorption (SEA), and initial peak crushing force (IPCF). Finite element simulations were performed in ABAQUS and validated against experimental results of the plain tube, showing good agreement with an average error of approximately 3 %. A mesh convergence study ensured numerical accuracy, and deformation modes were analysed to understand groove-induced folding behaviour. The results indicate that an optimal configuration of four grooves provides a balanced combination of high energy absorption and reduced peak force through stable progressive folding. These findings demonstrate that controlled geometric modification using discrete grooves can effectively enhance the crashworthiness performance of lightweight structures.