Energy Absorption for Short Duration Impacts

The objective of this study is to relate energy absorption characteristics to selected material properties and to establish a methodology that allows one to determine some of the material properties for maximum energy absorption. The finite element program DYNA-3D and its associated pre and post processors were used. The model used is a hollow square column. Five properties of the materials were included in the analysis: (i) Density (ii) Elastic Modulus (iii) Tangent Modulus (iv) Yield Strength, and (v) Poisson Ratio. The Response Surface Method in conjunction with the canonical analysis were employed to locate the optimum or near optimum levels of the properties and then to determine the equation of the response surface in an area near the vector of optimum levels. For the given levels of three out of five material properties used in the study, one can calculate the remaining two material property levels to achieve the near-optimal energy absorption.