Predicting Structural Performance of Automotive Bodies from As-Shipped Properties of Steel

The purpose of this paper is to provide a simple analytic procedure for determining the potential for thickness reduction of structural body parts using mild and high strength steels where it is assumed that the effect of buckling or crippling is considered separately. Static, collision and fatigue loading cases are evaluated for both the bulk steel and for spot welds. In addition, the effect of forming and paint-bake aging on the as-received properties of the steel is considered.