Computer Simulation of Automotive Body Crash Response

This paper describes a three-dimensional crash simulation program code-named ‘CRASH’ and its evaluation. This program predicts body deformation behavior of an automotive vehicle in a crash.

In the program the body is represented by a structure consisting of beam elements. The inelastic deformation is calculated with the simplified constitutive equation using the yielding function. Reduced load carrying capacities due to local deformations are considered by means of representative static load-deformation curves obtained by experiments. Deformation behavior of the structural members with the above properties are analyzed with direct integration scheme taking the strain rate effects into consideration. Large displacements of structural members are also accurately calculated with the coordinate transformation matrices taking account of the finite rotations.

Comparisons between analytical and experimental results of frontal barrier collision of automotive vehicles at 48km/h (30mph) showed good correlations in various aspects of crash behaviors.