How can you simulate crash tests to improve automotive safety?

2 Crash simulation workflow

To simulate a crash test, you need to follow a general workflow that involves several steps. First, you need to define the crash scenario, such as the type, speed, and angle of the impact, and the target or obstacle. Second, you need to create or import a geometric model of the vehicle and its components, such as the chassis, body, doors, windows, seats, airbags, and sensors. Third, you need to assign material properties and failure criteria to each part of the model, such as the density, elasticity, plasticity, and fracture. Fourth, you need to apply the initial and boundary conditions, such as the velocity, acceleration, and position of the vehicle and the target or obstacle. Fifth, you need to run the simulation and monitor the progress and convergence. Sixth, you need to post-process and visualize the results, such as the displacement, stress, strain, force, energy, velocity, and acceleration of the vehicle and its parts.

4 Crash simulation challenges

Simulating crash tests can also pose some challenges for mechanical engineers. One challenge is that it can require high computational resources and expertise to run and analyze complex simulations. Another challenge is that it can depend on the quality and availability of data and models for the vehicle and its components, such as the geometry, material properties, failure criteria, and contact interactions. A third challenge is that it can involve trade-offs and uncertainties in the modeling and simulation process, such as the choice of software, solver, mesh, time step, and validation method. A fourth challenge is that it can face ethical and regulatory issues in the acceptance and certification of simulation results by the automotive industry and authorities.

5 Crash simulation tips

To overcome some of the challenges and improve the effectiveness of crash simulation, you can follow some tips and best practices. One tip is to use a combination of FEA and MBD software to capture the different aspects and scales of the crash behavior, such as the structural deformation, kinematic motion, and occupant injury. Another tip is to use validated and standardized data and models for the vehicle and its components, such as the ones provided by the National Crash Analysis Center (NCAC) or the European Enhanced Vehicle-safety Committee (EEVC). A third tip is to use adaptive and robust methods for the modeling and simulation process, such as adaptive mesh refinement, explicit or implicit solvers, and error estimation and control. A fourth tip is to use verification and validation techniques to ensure the quality and credibility of the simulation results, such as sensitivity analysis, benchmarking, and comparison with physical tests.

6 Crash simulation resources

If you want to learn more about how to simulate crash tests to improve automotive safety, you can check out some of the following resources. One resource is the Crashworthiness Engineering Course (CEC), which is an online course that covers the fundamentals and applications of crash simulation using FEA software. Another resource is the Crash Simulation Forum (CSF), which is an online community that provides news, events, discussions, and tutorials on crash simulation topics. A third resource is the Crash Simulation Software Directory (CSSD), which is an online directory that lists and compares various crash simulation software products and features. A fourth resource is the Crash Simulation Journal (CSJ), which is an online journal that publishes peer-reviewed articles and reviews on crash simulation research and practice.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?