• The compact energy absorption (CE) structure integrates cutting rings and thin-walled tube modules, achieving high space utilization and superior crashworthiness.
• Drop-weight tests confirmed that the CE significantly improves specific energy absorption (SEA) by 102.76% and 61.54% compared to CSR and TW structures, respectively.
• The CE also optimizes crush force efficiency (CFE), with increases of 8.23% and 5.49% over CSR and TW, respectively.
• The innovative design employs deformation gradient and delay response strategies, demonstrating strong potential for rail transportation crashworthiness applications.