Evaluation of Thermoplastic SMA Material Models for Predicting Crashworthiness for Automotive Applications

The goal to reduce costs and increase productivity has been the catalyst to reduce the total time to design and build an automobile. Finite element analysis has emerged as a predictive tool to reduce the cost and time typically associated with the validation phase. Understanding the necessary finite element inputs and the hierarchy of their effects is of critical importance for an accurate analysis. This paper is a correlation study of a glass-filled SMA material. It discusses the development of a test methodology to determine the correct material property values for the LS-Dyna Mat_Piecewise_Linear_Plasticity (MAT 24) material card [4].