Numerical Crashworthiness Simulation of Automotive Structures and Components Made of Continuous Fiber Reinforced Composite and Sandwich Assemblies

The present paper outlines basic material models for composite strength and failure analysis, based on ESI's PAM-FISS/Bi-Phase composite material model. The new material models have been ported into the PAM-CRASH™ crashworthiness simulation code and applied to the crashworthiness simulation of axially compressed box columns made of hybrid Carbon-Kevlar-Aramid sandwich walls. After calibration of the models on laboratory coupon tests and validation on simple component crash tests, the methodology can be used to predict the crash behaviour of a prototype passenger car compartment structure, made entirely of composite sandwich material.