Early-Stage BIW Design Evaluation Using Higher-Order Beam–Shell Hybrid Models

Achieving favorable Noise, Vibration, and Harshness (NVH) and durability performance in vehicles requires sufficient static and dynamic stiffness of the Body-in-White (BIW). Virtual development of BIW performance targets during the early design stages is essential to minimize costly modifications in later phases. In the automotive industry, full-scale finite element models are widely used for this purpose, offering high fidelity and enabling comprehensive performance evaluations. However, their complexity and high computational cost limit their practicality for early-stage sensitivity and optimization studies. Beam-based models offer a faster alternative; however, conventional beam formulations based on Euler–Bernoulli or Timoshenko beam theories often fail to capture the complex deformation behaviors of thin-walled structures, which are typical of BIW designs. This typically results in poor correlation with detailed models unless artificial joint flexibility is introduced at structural connections. To address these limitations, this study proposes a hybrid modeling approach that combines Higher-Order Beam (HOB) elements with shell elements. HOB elements account for sectional deformation modes—such as warping and distortion—beyond standard translational and rotational degrees of freedom, enabling a more accurate representation of thin-walled member behavior. This work extends previous research by applying HOB theory to BIW modeling, including panel components such as the floor and roof. Comparative analyses with detailed 3D models demonstrate strong agreement, validating the accuracy and efficiency of the proposed method. The results highlight the potential of HOB-based hybrid models as reliable, computationally efficient tools for early-stage BIW design evaluation and layout optimization.