Perpustakaan Digital ITB

Transportation vehicles in Indonesia are steadily increasing, making passenger safety a top priority. With the growing number of vehicles, improving safety measures in case of accidents is essential. Among the most common and dangerous accidents is the frontal crash, where the impact of energy can be catastrophic. To mitigate this, crash boxes play a critical role. Typically made of tubes, crash boxes are designed to absorb collision energy effectively. Three key factors influence the energy absorption of crash boxes: geometry, material, and loading conditions. Tubular structures are commonly used due to their modifiable geometry and excellent energy absorption capabilities. While metals are the traditional material for crash boxes, they are costly and require labor-intensive production. This study explores the potential of Polylactic Acid (PLA), a more affordable and accessible polymer, as an alternative material. PLA can be efficiently manufactured using 3D printing via Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM), offering significant advantages in production ease and cost. The study provides an experimental analysis of PLA's behavior under tensile and impact conditions. 3D-printed models, designed with consistent parameters, were subjected to tests to evaluate their performance. For tensile tests, two orientations (0° and 90°) and two strain rates were examined. Results revealed that higher strain rates increase the elasticity modulus and maximum stress, with 0° orientation outperforming 90° in both stress and ductility. Impact tests comparing single-cell and multicell profiles showed that multicell structures have superior energy absorption capabilities.