Strain-rate effects on the energy absorption capability of crash boxes with different geometry

Abstract

The front beam of vehicle body is the most important component for energy dissipation during frontal crash. It must dissipate most of the kinetic energy of the vehicle in a stable, controlled and uniform crushing process. The optimal design of a front beam, always represented by a simple thin shell prismatic column, must keep into account various design parameters such as column section, sheet thickness, and material properties including the strain rate effect. The proposed work is about the analysis of strain-rate effects on the axial crush of simple spot-welded columns having different geometric configurations. Materials are steels used in the automotive industry. Axial impact is analysed in a speed range from 0.5 mm/s up to 10 m/s, with axial loads up to 100 kN. Measured loads during crush are used to evaluate the influencing parameters, together with energy absorption indicators. Strain-rate effects on components are then evaluated comparing strain-rate influence on the material as examined in previous works.