COMPUTER MODELING OF BUMPER IMPACT RESISTANCE

A simplified bumper model was established for evaluation of relative damageability with respect to the geometrical and material properties of an automobile bumper. Applying a nonlinear shell computer program developed at Ford Research Staff, we have studied the section of a prototype bumper and three idealized bumper sections. The computer results were used to describe the relative damage to four bumper sections. A drop weight test was conducted on the prototype bumper model and the test results were found to be in good agreement with the anlytical predictions.