Application of Advanced High Strength Steels for Enhanced Durability of a Shock Tower Assembly

The potential of advanced high strength steels such as TRIP versus conventional HSLA350 steel in achieving improved durability with weight savings is explored in the case of a shock tower assembly. Through a computational approach a linear analysis and a nonlinear analysis are performed. The nonlinear analysis takes into account the effect of geometry, material and contact nonlinearities. The results from both the linear and nonlinear analysis are used to predict fatigue lives. It is shown that the advanced steel grades, in particular, TRIP steels, can offer superior resistance to fatigue loading conditions while offering an opportunity to reduce the weight of the component.