A simplified modelling approach of front car

structures for a shortened design study

Robert Szlosarek, Rico Neuber

TU Bergakademie Freiberg, Institute for machine elements, design and
manufacturing

TU Bergakademie Freiberg | Institute for machine elements, design and manufacturing |

Chair of machine elements| Robert Szlosarek |
Agricolastr. 1, 09599 Freiberg | [email protected]
Motivation

Kinetic
energy

9% 12 %
79 %
splashboard engine
front
structure

Load scenario:
Euro NCAP, frontal crash,
50 km/h
Source: D. Anselm Allianz Zentrum für Technik

TU Bergakademie Freiberg | Institute for machine elements, design and manufacturing| 2

Robert Szlosarek| Altair Technology Conference 2017| 28.06.2017 |
Motivation

Kinetic
energy

9% 12 %
79 %
splashboard engine
front
structure

4% 18 %
fender 57 % wheel guard
Load scenario:
main chassis Euro NCAP, frontal crash,
beam 50 km/h
Source: D. Anselm Allianz Zentrum für Technik
Goal: Increased occupant protection by changing the design of the main chassis beam
→ improved energy absorption behavior
TU Bergakademie Freiberg | Institute for machine elements, design and manufacturing| 3
Robert Szlosarek| Altair Technology Conference 2017| 28.06.2017 |
 How to rate the crash behavior?
• Occupant load criterion
A1 65 mm
A2 235 mm
car
occupant

Inclination = Occupant
load criterion (OLC)
Velocity v

Time t

no coupling ideal coupling

between
occupant and
car

TU Bergakademie Freiberg | Institute for machine elements, design and manufacturing| 4

Robert Szlosarek| Altair Technology Conference 2017| 28.06.2017 |
 Motivation
• Idea of a degressive front car structure

Original
Original state
state car
Degressive front car structure
Car degressive
Occupant
Originaloriginal
statestate
occupant
Occupant
Occupant degressive
degressive front car structure
Velocity v

Time t

• OLC can be reduced by a higher acceleration in the first crash phase 

degreessive front car structure
TU Bergakademie Freiberg | Institute for machine elements, design and manufacturing| 5
Robert Szlosarek| Altair Technology Conference 2017| 28.06.2017 |
 Motivation
• Reducing the OLC by using a degressive front car structure

State of the art

Degressive front car structure

Crashbox Main chassis beam

Force F

Displacement u

TU Bergakademie Freiberg | Institute for machine elements, design and manufacturing| 6

Robert Szlosarek| Altair Technology Conference 2017| 28.06.2017 |
 Motivation
• Validated crash model of a Toyota Yaris Sedan

Load scenario:
frontal crash, 56 km/h,
against rigid wall

Idea: Reducing the OLC value by modifying the front car structure
TU Bergakademie Freiberg | Institute for machine elements, design and manufacturing| 7
Robert Szlosarek| Altair Technology Conference 2017| 28.06.2017 |
 Motivation
• Development process

(Re-)
Design

TU Bergakademie Freiberg | Institute for machine elements, design and manufacturing| 8

Robert Szlosarek| Altair Technology Conference 2017| 28.06.2017 |
 Motivation
• Development process

(Re-)
Design

New FE
mesh/model

TU Bergakademie Freiberg | Institute for machine elements, design and manufacturing| 9

Robert Szlosarek| Altair Technology Conference 2017| 28.06.2017 |
 Motivation
• Development process

(Re-) Computation
Design

New FE
mesh/model

TU Bergakademie Freiberg | Institute for machine elements, design and manufacturing| 10

Robert Szlosarek| Altair Technology Conference 2017| 28.06.2017 |
 Motivation
• Development process

Analysis of
results

(Re-) Computation
Design

New FE
mesh/model

TU Bergakademie Freiberg | Institute for machine elements, design and manufacturing| 11

Robert Szlosarek| Altair Technology Conference 2017| 28.06.2017 |
 Motivation
• Development process
Time reduction by
looping only these steps
Analysis of using a simplified
results modelling approach

(Re-) Computation
Design

New FE
mesh/model

TU Bergakademie Freiberg | Institute for machine elements, design and manufacturing| 12

Robert Szlosarek| Altair Technology Conference 2017| 28.06.2017 |
 Front car submodel
• Investigation of the front car structure
Rigid wall, m= 1246 kg

Fixed boundary

TU Bergakademie Freiberg | Institute for machine elements, design and manufacturing| 13

Robert Szlosarek| Altair Technology Conference 2017| 28.06.2017 |
 Front car submodel
• Investigation of the front car structure

Rigid wall, m= 1246 kg (=mass of the car), v0=56 km/h

submodel

TU Bergakademie Freiberg | Institute for machine elements, design and manufacturing| 14

Robert Szlosarek| Altair Technology Conference 2017| 28.06.2017 |
 Front car submodel
• Investigation of the front car structure

full car model

submodel
Velocity [m/s]

Time [ms]

- Good match in the first 30 ms

TU Bergakademie Freiberg | Institute for machine elements, design and manufacturing| 15

Robert Szlosarek| Altair Technology Conference 2017| 28.06.2017 |
 Front car submodel
• Force-displacement curve of the original front structure
Force F [kN]

Displacement u [mm]

- Original design shows an progressive characteristic of the front car structure

TU Bergakademie Freiberg | Institute for machine elements, design and manufacturing| 16
Robert Szlosarek| Altair Technology Conference 2017| 28.06.2017 |
 Simplified modelling approach
• Generic front car structure

Spring elements

− Reducing the shell-thickness of the crash box and the main chassis beam

− Implementing spring elements with an adjustable force-displacement curve

TU Bergakademie Freiberg | Institute for machine elements, design and manufacturing| 17

Robert Szlosarek| Altair Technology Conference 2017| 28.06.2017 |
 Simplified modelling approach
Aim
Variation of the force-displacement behavior of
the front car structure

Implementation
 Using spring elements in the full car model

 Reduction of the stiffness of the original

components (contact are still working)
→ thickness reduction
Force F

Deformation spring

TU Bergakademie Freiberg | Institute for machine elements, design and manufacturing| 18

Robert Szlosarek| Altair Technology Conference 2017| 28.06.2017 |
 Simplified modelling approach
• Force-displacement curve of the spring
Front end of the car

Force F [kN]

Spring deformation sF [mm]

• Using SPRING elements

TU Bergakademie Freiberg | Institute for machine elements, design and manufacturing| 19

Robert Szlosarek| Altair Technology Conference 2017| 28.06.2017 |
 Simplified modelling approach
• Force-displacement curve of the simplified front structure

original front car structure

degressive front car structure
Force F [kN]

Displacement u [mm]

TU Bergakademie Freiberg | Institute for machine elements, design and manufacturing| 20

Robert Szlosarek| Altair Technology Conference 2017| 28.06.2017 |
 Simplified modelling approach
Load scenario:
• Comparison of different spring modifications frontal crash, 56 km/h,
against rigid wall

FFH FFU OLC

Version 01 150 kN 1.5 kN 28.24

Version 02 150 kN 30 kN 30.23
Version 03 150 kN 50 kN 31.4
Original structure 35.12

− Investigation of variants without redesign and remesh of the model!  saves time and money
− The Version 01 shows of the best result  high average force of the crash box and low force of
the main chassis beam
TU Bergakademie Freiberg | Institute for machine elements, design and manufacturing| 21
Robert Szlosarek| Altair Technology Conference 2017| 28.06.2017 |
 Possible solutions
• Displacement controlled crash structure

Crashbox

Pipe

Split die

Two fixed U-shaped profiles

TU Bergakademie Freiberg | Institute for machine elements, design and manufacturing| 22

Robert Szlosarek| Altair Technology Conference 2017| 28.06.2017 | 22
 Possible solutions
• Displacement controlled crash structure

Hinges

TU Bergakademie Freiberg | Institute for machine elements, design and manufacturing| 23

Robert Szlosarek| Altair Technology Conference 2017| 28.06.2017 |
 Possible solutions
• Results of a drop tower test

Test conditions : v = 10 m/s (≙ h ≈ 5,10 m)

m = 150 kg

− Degressive characteristic of the front car structure

TU Bergakademie Freiberg | Institute for machine elements, design and manufacturing| 24
Robert Szlosarek| Altair Technology Conference 2017| 28.06.2017 |
 Degressive front car structure
Load scenario:
• Simulation using the full car model frontal crash, 56 km/h,
against rigid wall

Original front car structure OLC=35.12

Degressive front car structure OLC=30.5

• Reduction of the OLC value from 35.12 to 30.5

TU Bergakademie Freiberg | Institute for machine elements, design and manufacturing| 25
Robert Szlosarek| Altair Technology Conference 2017| 28.06.2017 |
 Degressive front car structure
• Simulation using the full car model

Δa=10 g

No coupling of
the occupant

− Reduced maximum acceleration of the car

TU Bergakademie Freiberg | Institute for machine elements, design and manufacturing| 26
Robert Szlosarek| Altair Technology Conference 2017| 28.06.2017 |
 Summary

• Using simplified modelling approaches can help to reduce the product

development time

• Found approach can be transferred to other components  using beams for

modelling the bumper

• First try to build a degressive front car structure was successful but not
proper for a car

• Modifying the main chassis beam by notches could be better

TU Bergakademie Freiberg | Institute for machine elements, design and manufacturing| 27

Robert Szlosarek| Altair Technology Conference 2017| 28.06.2017 |
 FIN

Thank You!
Robert Szlosarek

[email protected]
0049-3731/393653

TU Bergakademie Freiberg | Institute for machine elements, design and manufacturing| 28

Robert Szlosarek| Altair Technology Conference 2017| 28.06.2017 |