Title: Crashworthiness improvement of a pickup truck's chassis frame using the Pareto-Front and genetic algorithm

Authors: Hesham Kamel, Ramin Sedaghati, Mamoun Medraj

Addresses: Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec, H3G 1M8, Canada. ' Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec, H3G 1M8, Canada. ' Department of Mechanical and Industrial Engineering, Concordia University, Montreal, Quebec, H3G 1M8, Canada

Abstract: In this paper, a methodology is presented to derive the relation between minimum structural weight and maximum impact energy for crashworthiness improvement. The methodology is based on the principle of the Pareto-Front and multiobjective optimisation technique. The designer can then use the derived relation to evaluate the crashworthiness performance of any suggested design easily and effectively. Moreover, providing a set of optimum solutions offers the designer more flexibility in optimising the performance of the initial design. The capabilities of the new methodology have been successfully demonstrated on a simple thin-walled tube and a chassis frame in a pickup truck.

Keywords: crashworthiness; chassis frames; Pareto-Front; genetic algorithms; impact energy; minimum weight; vehicle design; multiobjective optimisation; pickup trucks; structural weight; impact energy.

DOI: 10.1504/IJHVS.2011.037961

International Journal of Heavy Vehicle Systems, 2011 Vol.18 No.1, pp.83 - 103

Published online: 29 Jan 2015 *

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