Abstract
This paper proposes a crashworthiness evaluation and optimization method for straight thin-walled columns using simplified models, to alleviate massive computational cost due to a large number of shell elements, required for accurate prediction of nonlinear collapse behavior. The simplified crashworthiness analysis model, developed in this research, is composed of beam and non-linear spring elements. The properties of non-linear spring elements are derived from analytical calculation results of crush mechanism of thin-walled beam. This paper also clarify the design criteria for crashworthiness design optimization problems, and genetic algorithms are used to solve this optimization problem. The proposed optimization method is applied to a numerical example problem and the optimal solution obtained using the simplified analysis model is compared with the result when using a detailed analysis employing shell elements. The optimal solution provided by the simplified analysis model agrees well with the solution based on detailed analysis results.
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