Effect of environmental conditions on the failure mechanisms and energy absorption of open-section crush elements under quasi-static loading

This paper presents the quasi-static energy absorption of open section monolithic carbon-epoxy specimens for a range of environmental test conditions. Experimental observations showed that the test temperature influenced the failure mode; elevated temperatures (>23 °C) resulted in the specimens exhibiting a splaying failure mode whilst reduced test temperature (−35 °C) resulted in a brittle failure mode. Despite the difference in failure modes,...