The tensile stress-strain response for 6016 aluminum alloy（ AA6016） sheet under different strain rates was presented in this paper. The data were fit to the Johnson-Cook constitutive model and fractured strain model. The energy absorbing performance of AA 6016 thin-walled square tubes under axial impact were analyzed. The results show that flow stress of AA6016 is insensitive to strain rate,while fractured strain is sensitive to strain rate. Thin-walled tubes show good energy absorbing performance with progressive buckling deformation under axial crushing. However,the energy absorbing performance decreases due to the mix buckling mode with the increasing thickness,length and impacting velocity of aluminum alloy thinwalled tubes.