Development of simplified thin-walled beam models for crashworthiness analyses

Abstract

In this paper, simplified finite element models for thin-walled beams with hexagon and circular cross sections are created and validated through crashworthiness analyses. To create the simplified models, the published collapse theories of thin-walled hexagon and circular beams under axial compression are reviewed and applied to simulate their axial buckling behavior. Meanwhile, their moment – bending relationship is predicted by derived analytical equations, which are then applied to the simplified models to simulate the bending behavior. After the simplified models are generated, the same crashworthiness analyses are performed on both simplified and detailed models to verify the developed simplified models as well as the applied existing and derived collapse theories. From the results, good agreements are achieved between the detailed and simplified models, and the derived collapse theories for thin-walled hexagon and circular beams are therefore validated.

Key words:

• Simplified model
• crashworthiness
• thin-walled beam
• bending resistance
• hexagonal
• circular