Session: Research Posters

Paper Number: 164982

Elvis - Electric Vehicles in Safety Analysis 

Lithium-ion (Li-Ion) batteries are an integral backbone to modern energy storage applications, including electric vehicles (EVs), aerospace systems, consumer electronics, and grid storage. Their high energy density and efficiency make them a preferred choice, but their susceptibility to failure under abusive conditions raises critical safety concerns. This research examines the failure mechanisms of Li-Ion batteries under mechanical, electrical, and thermal abuse scenarios, as well as dynamic load cases encountered in real-world applications. Additionally, the impact of different charging states on battery safety and failure propagation is investigated. A combination of experimental testing and numerical modeling using OpenRadioss™, an advanced non-linear crash solver, provides a comprehensive analysis of battery behavior under extreme conditions.

A series of controlled abuse tests are performed to assess battery responses to extreme mechanical stresses. Crush, penetration, and impact simulations replicate structural deformations that may occur during crashes, mishandling, or external impacts. High-speed imaging and thermal sensors capture critical failure sequences, focusing on internal short-circuit initiation and propagation. Electrical abuse scenarios are analyzed across different charging states—fully charged, partially charged, and near-discharged—highlighting the role of state-of-charge (SoC) in thermal runaway risks. The temperature behavior is tracked to detect thermal runaway during these tests until failure thresholds.

Beyond abuse testing, this research examines battery behavior under dynamic load conditions where fluctuating power demands introduce thermal and mechanical stresses. X-ray computed tomography (CT) provides insights into structural damage, including separator deformation until failure, which influences battery performance and safety. Finite element analysis (FEA), combined with OpenRadioss crash simulations, is employed to predict mechanical stress and strain distributions and damage. The numerical models are successfully validated against experimental data, confirming their accuracy in predicting failure modes, deformation patterns, and thermal runaway behavior.

To mitigate risks, this study evaluates advanced safety strategies. A dedicated equibiaxial test series is conducted on various separator materials to assess their mechanical properties under multi-axial stress conditions. Separators play a crucial role in battery safety by preventing direct contact between electrodes while allowing ion transport. The test series evaluates tensile strength, failure strain, and puncture resistance of different polymer-based separators, providing insights into their mechanical robustness under extreme loading. The results help identify separator materials with superior mechanical integrity, reducing the risk of mechanical failure-induced short circuits.

The central findings of this research provide critical insights into the behavior of Li-Ion batteries under abuse and dynamic loads, offering recommendations for designing safer and more resilient energy storage solutions. The successful numerical validation of battery failure mechanisms establishes a robust predictive framework, supporting further development of safety measures and regulatory guidelines. Future work will expand testing to module- and pack-level investigations to ensure robust performance across various applications, including electric mobility, aviation, consumer goods and grid-scale storage.

Presenting Author: Stefan Kolling Giessen University of Applied Sciences (THM)

Presenting Author Biography: Prof. Stefan Kolling, PhD is a renowned expert in mechanics, structural analysis, and crash simulation. He studied civil engineering at the Saarland University of Applied Sciences and mechanics at the Technical University of Darmstadt, earning his PhD with distinction in 2001. After working as a crash simulation engineer at Daimler AG, he became a Professor of Mechanics at the Technische Hochschule Mittelhessen in 2008. He has led research in mechanics and simulation, contributing to material modeling and structural safety.

He has received several prestigious awards, including the 2017 Research Award of the Hessian Universities of Applied Sciences and the 2024 ASME Edward F. Obert Award. As an editor for Springer Verlag and a member of GAMM and the International Association of Protective Structures, he continues to advance research in computational mechanics and material behavior.

Authors:

Marian Bulla Altair
Stefan Kolling Giessen University of Applied Sciences (THM)
Elham Sahraei Temple University