Modelling of composite energy absorbing structures for automotive load-bearing systems

Abstract

Due to the increasing demands for environmental friendliness and fuel economy of cars, the task of reducing their weight is becoming topical. One of the promising ways to solve this problem is the use of composite materials for the manufacture of automotive body. The body of the car is subjected not only to static and slowly changing dynamic loads, but also can be subjected to impact loading. Therefore, it is necessary to assess the effectiveness of the use of composite materials for the manufacture of elements responsible for energy absorption. The paper analyzes the features of energy absorption during the destruction of composite structures, describes the ongoing processes and gives recommendations on the design of composite front rails. To assess the effectiveness of the composite front rail, a simulation of process of its crushing is carried out. To confirm the performance of the design, a crash test of a car with a composite energy absorbing structure is simulated. The applicability and high efficiency of composite energy absorber are confirmed