Analysis of crash response of aluminium foam-filled front side rail of a passenger car

Abstract

The objective of this paper is to gain an understanding of the reinforcing effect by aluminium foam-filling for the front side rail and subframe structure of a passenger car. The reinforcing effect by aluminium foam-filling on two major collapsing modes, axial compression and bending, is studied. The front rail is divided into axial collapse and a bending collapse parts, and the crush response of each is investigated by varying wall thickness and the aluminium foam strength. The effect of the anisotropy of aluminium foam on the crush response of the front side rail structure is also studied by varying the orientation of aluminium foam. The sensitivity analysis of wall thickness and aluminium foam strength on the energy absorption and the specific energy absorption is made in axial compression and bending collapse. A summary of optimisation process of aluminium foam-filled front rail structure is given as a design example. The optimum design with regard to weight efficiency and crash energy absorption is determined using “Design of Experiment” and “Response Surface Method”.