Search Results

To analyze the rear end crash of a motor vehicle using a beam-element model, it is important how to model the upper body panel members such as rear doors or rear quarters. This paper describes the method of modeling each panel member into a beam element considering the “effective areas” in each member section. The panel member is cut into several sections along its longitudinal axis. Applying the thin-shell buckling theory and experimental analysis to each section, “effective areas”, which withstand up to the yield stress when the panel member is subjected to longitudinal compression, can be selected. With the section characteristics of the “effective areas”, a beam element for the panel member is defined. The results of the calculation by this method showed a good correlation to the experimental results of three kinds motor vehicles with the body deformation mode or crash length etc.

This paper describes a three-dimensional crash simulation program code-named ‘CRASH’ and its evaluation. This program predicts body deformation behavior of an automotive vehicle in a crash. In the program the body is represented by a structure consisting of beam elements. The inelastic deformation is calculated with the simplified constitutive equation using the yielding function. Reduced load carrying capacities due to local deformations are considered by means of representative static load-deformation curves obtained by experiments. Deformation behavior of the structural members with the above properties are analyzed with direct integration scheme taking the strain rate effects into consideration. Large displacements of structural members are also accurately calculated with the coordinate transformation matrices taking account of the finite rotations.