A study of the collapse behaviour of square or rectangular tubes subjected to transverse loading by narrow width indenters, placed in orthogonal and non-orthogonal positions is presented. Experiments were conducted on as-received aluminium tubes, wherein the tubes were compressed in an unsymmetrical and a symmetric arrangement. Typical load-compression curves and histories of the deforming specimens are presented. Based on experimental observations, an analysis which considers the energy absorbed in stationary and rolling plastic hinges is developed for typical cases of the two modes of tube collapse. Computed results of the hinge locations, deforming tube geometry and load-compression curves are presented in each case. These results show good agreement with the experimental observations.NOTATIONA r area traversed by a rolling hingeD I depth at which the first horizontal hinge is formed under the indenterD L distance of the left vertical hinge from the center of the tubeD r distance of the right vertical hinge from the center of the tubeE a energy absorbed in the stationary hingesE f energy absorbed by the hinges in the folding mechanism under the indenterE r energy absorbed in the rolling hingesE t total energy absorbed in all hingesH,W,t height, width and thickness of the tubeH i , W i height and width of the indenter(s)L length of the tube specimenL e equivalent length for computing the collapse loadL f length of the first horizontal hinge under the indenterL h length of a rotating stationary hingeL L length for all hinges to form within the specimen with undeformed endsR r radius of the rolling hingeδ relative vertical displacement of the indenter(s) (compression)δ c δ at which the ends of the tube touch upper platenδ F δ at which the first horizontal hinge gets compressedδ I δ at which the inclined hinges on the left side begin to rollδ 2 δ at which the inclined hinges on the right side begin to rollθ angle between the normal to tube axis and the indenter axisθ h angle of rotation of a stationery hingeθ L limiting θ up to which the mechanism is formed within the tube length