Finite Element Modeling of the Frame for Body-On-Frame Vehicles: Part II - Full Vehicle Crash

This study focuses on the modeling of a frame in a body-on-frame (BOF) vehicle to improve the prediction of vehicle response in crashes. The study is divided into three phases - component (frame material modeling), subsystem (frame sled test) and full system (full vehicle test). In the component level, we investigate the available strain rate data, the performance of various material models in crash codes and the effect of the strain rate in crash simulation. In the subsystem phase, we incorporate the strain rate modeling and expand the scope to include both the forming and the welding effects in the subsystem CAE model to improve the correlation between CAE and test. Finally the improved frame modeling methodology with strain rate, forming and welding effects is adopted in full vehicle model. It is found that the proposed frame modeling methodology is crucial to improve the pulse prediction of a full vehicle in crashes. The details of the component and subsystem studies are provided in a separate paper [1]. This paper only discusses the correlation between full vehicle crash tests and the corresponding CAE simulations. The full vehicle crash tests are conducted at different conditions including crash modes, crash speeds, drive configurations and vehicle weights. The CAE results with respect to each test condition are compared with the data recorded in physical test. With the proposed frame modeling methodology, it is possible to use one single CAE model to correlate with all different test conditions.