Experiences during development of a dynamic crash response automobile model

A finite element automobile model for use in crash safety studies was developed through reverse engineering. The model was designed for calculating the response of the automobile structure during full frontal, offset frontal, or side impacts. The reverse engineering process involves the digitization of component surfaces as the vehicle is dismantled, the meshing and reassembly of these components into a complete finite element model, and the measurement of stiffness properties for structural materials. Quasi-static component tests and full-vehicle crash tests were used to validate the model, which will become part of a finite element vehicle fleet. ( 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.