A New Mesh Variables Mapping Method for Vehicle Crash Simulation with Considering Sheet Forming Effects

Abstract

In finite element analysis for vehicle body components, there are different meshes between sheet metal forming and crashworthiness analysis. In order to transfer mesh variables between different mesh models, a new mapping method for mesh variables is proposed in this study based on an inverse isoparametric mapping. In this method, the mesh variables, such as thickness distribution, stress and strain, are mapped by accurately positioning crash model’s nodes to transfer data from the sheet metal forming model to crash model. As an example, this approach was applied to the crash simulation analysis for a vehicle front bumper bar. The results showed that this method allows to precisely transfer mesh variables from sheet metal forming analysis to crash simulation analysis with considering the forming effects. The efficiency and accuracy are thus improved for vehicle crash simulation with this approach.