Polymeric　foam　filled　truncated　metallic　conical　sandwich　shells　with　corrugated　cores　were　proposed,　and　their　energy　absorption　characteristics　under　axial　compression　were　systematically　investigated.　The　types　of　foam　filling　include:　(i)　foam　filling　inner　cavity　(FFIC),　(ii)　foam　filling　corrugated　channel　(FFCC),　and　(iii)　foam　filling　inner　cavity　and　corrugated　channel　(FFICCC).　Test　specimens　were　fabricated　by　combining　the　step-by-step　molding　method　with　the　method　of　in-situ　foam　filling.　Firstly,　the　crashworthiness　of　FFIC,　FFCC　and　FFICCC　subjected　to　axial　compression　was　experimentally　characterized.　Secondly,　numerical　simulations　with　the　method　of　finite　elements　(FE)　were　performed,　with　good　agreement　achieved　between　measurements　and　simulations.　Subsequently,　based　upon　the　validated　FE　models,　interaction　mechanisms　between　foam　filler　and　metallic　shell　were　explored,　and　the　influences　of　wall　thickness,　semi-apical　angle　and　loading　speed　on　energy　absorption　were　quantified.　The　three　different　foam　filled　structures　were　found　to　exhibit　higher　energy　absorption　than　their　unfilled　counterpart.　Particularly,　the　specific　energy　absorption　(SEA)　of　the　FFCC　was　higher　than　that　of　the　unfilled　structure,　attributed　mainly　to　the　participation　of　all　foam　fillers　in　the　interaction　with　metal　shells　that　was　rarely　found　in　other　types　of　foam-filled　structure.　©　2022　Elsevier　Ltd