Overview
Car manufacturers routinely use FEA as a sophisticated tool in the development of new car models. Virtual testing can save time and cost as it can reduce real life testing, especially in the case of full-scale testing prototypes.
This development included an extensive programme of component testing, in order to correctly characterise the material behaviour under typical crash impact conditions. Both quasi-static and dynamic testing were included, with various sample materials, impact speeds, angles, shapes etc.
Cellbond was able to make use of its own in-house test facilities to carry out this work. As a further stage, full-scale barriers were tested under several impact conditions and the model was validated against car models. Results have shown very good correlation with real tests.
This project was launched in 2002 and took the form of a collaboration with a car manufacturer and ARUP, which has vast experience in FE modelling.As a result, Cellbond is able to correctly simulate the behaviour of its honeycomb barriers under typical crash scenarios. This tool can be used in parallel with the development of hardware barriers, with the aim of offering software models to customers at the same time as new prototypes. Cellbond has also worked together with Aprosys on the CAE modelling of the AE-MDB and expects to have a model concurrently with the final barrier design.
FE barrier models are commercially available in LS Dyna from our partner ARUP. The model range includes all current standard barriers:
- EEVC Frontal Offset Barrier (ECE R94, EuroNCAP, IIHS, FMVSS 208)
- EEVC Advanced-2000 Side Impact Barrier (ECE R95, EuroNCAP)
- NHTSA Side Impact Barrier (FMVSS 214 and 301)
- IIHS Side Impact Barrier
- Advanced European Mobile Deformable Barrier (AE-MDB)
- Full-Width Frontal Barrier
Please visit the ARUP website for further information.
