Title: Finite element modelling and simulation of car bonnet's crashworthiness parameters for pedestrian safety

Authors: K.S. Neeraj; Sumukha Rao S. Salanke; S.S. Tejas; S.R. Sudhansh; Mantesh Basappa Khot

Addresses: Department of Mechanical Engineering, PES University, Bangalore-560085, Karnataka, India ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, PES University, Bangalore-560085, Karnataka, India ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, PES University, Bangalore-560085, Karnataka, India ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, PES University, Bangalore-560085, Karnataka, India ' Department of Mechanical Engineering, PES University, Bangalore-560085, Karnataka, India

Abstract: Pedestrians face heightened vulnerability in car accidents, often experiencing head injuries with severe consequences. The car bonnet emerges as a critical point of contact in these incidents, necessitating the development of assessment parameters like the head injury criterion (HIC), energy absorption, and total deformation to gauge head injury risk. Material selection for automobile closures considers factors like cost, weight, and structural performance. Complying with pedestrian safety standards, evaluated through child and adult headform impactors, is imperative for vehicle bonnets. This study introduces a novel finite element model replicating head impact events between headform impactors and car bonnets. Analysing three identical bonnets made of steel and aluminium alloys (AA 5252 and AA 6061) using this model reveals that while the AA 5252 bonnet exhibits lower energy absorption, it offers greater protection with significantly fewer HICs compared to steel and AA 6061. The findings underscore the weight-protection performance trade-off in different material bonnets.

Keywords: crashworthiness; finite element modelling; energy absorption; deformation; HIC; head injury criteria.

DOI: 10.1504/IJVSMT.2024.136761

International Journal of Vehicle Systems Modelling and Testing, 2024 Vol.18 No.1, pp.78 - 95

Received: 02 Apr 2023
Accepted: 20 Dec 2023
Published online: 20 Feb 2024 *

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