Crashworthiness of 3D-printed thin-walled PLA circular tubes with different hole configurations

Abstract This study examines the crashworthiness of 3D-printed thin-walled circular PLA tubes with various hole geometries under quasi-static axial compression. Perforated configurations with circular, square, triangular, diamond, hexagonal, and slot-type holes were compared with a nonperforated reference tube to assess how geometric discontinuities influence load-carrying capacity and energy absorption. Results show that hole geometry significantly affects deformation modes, peak load, and collapse stability. Although the nonperforated tube exhibited the highest load capacity, selected perforation designs, particularly circular and diamond holes, offered a favorable balance between structural integrity and energy absorption by promoting more progressive and stable collapse. Numerical simulations showed good agreement with experimental observations and captured critical failure behavior. The findings highlight the effectiveness of geometric tailoring enabled by additive manufacturing for optimizing lightweight polymer-based energy-absorbing structures in crashworthiness-oriented applications.