Title: Integrated simplified crash modelling approach dedicated to pre-design stage: evaluation on a front car part

Authors: J. Halgrin, G. Haugou, E. Markiewicz, L. Rota

Addresses: Laboratory of Industrial and Human Automation Control, Mechanical Engineering and Computer Science (LAMIH), CNRS UMR 8530, Univ Lille Nord de France, UVHC, F-59313 Valenciennes Cedex 9, France. ' Laboratory of Industrial and Human Automation Control, Mechanical Engineering and Computer Science (LAMIH), CNRS UMR 8530, Univ Lille Nord de France, UVHC, F-59313 Valenciennes Cedex 9, France. ' Laboratory of Industrial and Human Automation Control, Mechanical Engineering and Computer Science (LAMIH), CNRS UMR 8530, Univ Lille Nord de France, UVHC, F-59313 Valenciennes Cedex 9, France. ' PSA Peugeot-Citroen, Technical Center of Velizy, 78943 Velizy-Villacoublay Cedex, France

Abstract: During the pre-design stage, manufacturers in the transportation field need to have access to a simplified simulation and crash optimisation methodology that enables them to quickly ascertain the global behaviour of a structure. The large plastic deformations, localised during the shock, mean that multibody dynamics can be used. They are represented by non-linear spring elements using collapse responses obtained from analytical models in axial compression and pure bending. However, the number and the localisation of these non-linear springs have a direct influence on Central Processing Unit and modelling times and on the quality of results. An automatic method for the localisation and the non-linear response of collapse mechanisms, based on the simultaneous use of analytical results and of a global beam finite element model, is proposed and implemented into a beta version of FE code PAM-CRASH™. To evaluate the robustness of this new tool, an application to a commercial front car part under frontal crash conditions is studied.

Keywords: beams; buckling; collapse; crashworthiness; kinematic modelling; localisation; simplified models; crash modelling; pre-design stage; vehicle design; vehicle safety; crash optimisation; plastic deformation; multibody dynamics; finite element method; FEM; frontal crash; front car part.

DOI: 10.1504/IJVS.2008.020086

International Journal of Vehicle Safety, 2008 Vol.3 No.1, pp.91 - 115

Published online: 25 Aug 2008 *

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