On the crashworthiness performance of novel hierarchical multi-cell tubes under axial loading

• A group of novel hierarchical multi-cell tubes (NHMTs) are proposed by replacing every sides of traditional multi-cell tubes with smaller square cells to improve energy absorption capacity of multi-cell tubes (TMTs). • The energy-absorption capacity of NHMTs is superior to the TMTs under the same mass, and their energy-absorption capacity improve gradually with the hierarchical level. • A theoretical model of NHMTs is established and validated...