Evaluation of Automotive Hood and Bumper Performance With Composite Material by Pedestrian Impactor Systems

In recent years, the vehicle safety design and durability has improved significantly in the automotive industry. Automotive manufacturers constantly investigating the potential for improving the stiffness of car components, reducing the weight of the vehicle, and total material cost of the vehicle by replacing the traditional material with advanced materials. Vehicle frontal components such as hood and bumper are more challenging for the weight reduction maintaining same stiffness and shape design as traditional material particularly during the frontal collisions. In this study, crash performance of a vehicle hood and bumper is examined with the addition of composite material. The system is analyzed with pedestrian sub-system impactor finite models of the upper leg and adult headform. Finite element simulations are conducted with a sedan vehicle model under EEVC WG17 and Euro NCAP regulations. Head impact on the car hood, resultant acceleration, displacement using pedestrian impactor models are examined. The differences in simulation results for steel and composite material are identified for better selection of material. Comparison between composite and steel material for the passenger car is performed to estimate the weight and pedestrian safety measures. This study also examines the impact of using CFRP on pedestrian safety, it was observed that it was less safe to use CFRP than conventional steel based on the FE simulations.

Repeat:

In recent years, the vehicle safety design and durability has improved significantly in the automotive industry. Automotive manufacturers constantly investigating the potential for improving the stiffness of car components, reducing the weight of the vehicle, and total material cost of the vehicle by replacing the traditional material with advanced materials. Vehicle frontal components such as hood and bumper are more challenging for the weight reduction maintaining same stiffness and shape design as traditional material particularly during the frontal collisions. In this study, crash performance of a vehicle hood and bumper is examined with the addition of composite material. The system is analyzed with pedestrian sub-system impactor finite models of the upper leg and adult headform. Finite element simulations are conducted with a sedan vehicle model under EEVC WG17 and Euro NCAP regulations. Head impact on the car hood, resultant acceleration, displacement using pedestrian impactor models are examined. The differences in simulation results for steel and composite material are identified for better selection of material. Comparison between composite and steel material for the passenger car is performed to estimate the weight and pedestrian safety measures. This study also examines the impact of using CFRP on pedestrian safety, it was observed that it was less safe to use CFRP than conventional steel based on the FE simulations