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Report Reflects Advancements in Crash Modeling

20 April 2000

Report Reflects Advancements in Crash Modeling; AISI Issues Report On Improved Crash Modeling Using Dynamic Material Properties

  Use of More Detailed Data Aids Designing for Better Structural Efficiency

    DETROIT, April 19 The steel industry continues to break
new ground in offering innovative design approaches to improving vehicle
structural efficiency and performance.  The latest advancement involves use in
CAE crash models of highly detailed and specialized data on steel's dynamic
material properties.
    As part of its continuing dialogue with vehicle makers regarding ULSAB-AVC
(Advanced Vehicle Concepts), American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) has
issued a report on the effects of using dynamic material data in the crash
modeling for the AVC design.  The report is available for viewing and
downloading on the AISI website, http://www.autosteel.org .
    Several organizations supplied the data including the Auto/Steel
Partnership (data generated at Los Alamos National Laboratory) and a number of
steel companies that are members of the ULSAB-AVC Consortium.  Porsche
Engineering Services, Inc., Troy, Mich., who is conducting the AVC study,
prepared the report.
    A characteristic of steel is its strain-rate dependent mechanical
properties; it gets stronger as deformation rate increases, such as in a
crash.  Historically, analysts have looked only at static properties.  The
ability to use dynamic material properties improves the predictive quality of
the crash tests and enhances the efficiency of the engineers' work.
    Titled "Strain Rate Dependent Steel Material Properties in CAE Analysis
for Crashworthiness," the report is rich in detail, complete with 63
supporting graphs and 26 illustrations.
    The report is organized into ten sections, including an introduction,
objectives, reviews of the analysis approach and the various grades of steel
used.  The report centers around a full vehicle crash comparison between
material with and without dynamic properties and includes initial work on
single components.
    Car crashes exert extreme loads on vehicles.  Using computers to
accurately predict the response of a vehicle to these loads during a crash
helps engineers optimize safety components in cars.  With the increased speed
of today's computers and new developments in software, engineers now can use
more detail in CAE crash models to better represent real-life crashes.
    Improved CAE analysis of crash events allows engineers to optimize a
vehicle structure earlier in the design process, effectively reducing the time
and cost of developing an optimized vehicle design.  This trend toward
including more data in CAE crash models extends to material properties, as
well.  The quality of the material data in the CAE models is an important
aspect influencing the results of the analysis.  Therefore, there is a need to
more realistically represent material characteristics.
    AISI issued the report as part of its technology transfer initiatives.
AISI periodically issues reports to key contacts in the automotive industry to
encourage ongoing dialogue regarding the ULSAB-AVC program and other technical
initiatives.
    The American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) is a non-profit association
of North American companies engaged in the iron and steel industry.  The
Institute comprises 46 member companies, including integrated and electric
furnace steelmakers, and 175 associate and affiliate members who are suppliers
to or customers of the steel industry.
    For more news about steel and its applications, view American Iron and
Steel Institute's website at http://www.steel.org .
    The Automotive Applications Committee (AAC) is a subcommittee of the
Market Development Committee of AISI and focuses on advancing the use of steel
in the highly competitive automotive market.  With offices and staff located
in Detroit, cooperation between the automobile and steel industries has been
significant to its success.  This industry cooperation resulted in the
formation of the Auto/Steel Partnership, a consortium of DaimlerChrysler, Ford
and General Motors and the member companies of the AAC.  This release and
other steel-related information are available for viewing and downloading at
American Iron and Steel Institute/Automotive Applications Committee's website
at http://www.autosteel.org .
    Automotive Applications Committee member companies:

    AK Steel
    Bethlehem Steel Corporation
    Dofasco Inc.
    Ispat Inland Inc.
    LTV Steel Company
    National Steel Corporation
    Rouge Steel Company
    Stelco Inc.
    US Steel Group, a unit of USX Corporation
    WCI Steel, Inc.
    Weirton Steel Corporation