Development and evaluation of a finite element truck chassis crash model

Abstract

This paper presents a detailed multi-purpose finite element model (FEM) of a light-duty truck chassis. The chassis model can successfully be used in computational simulations of full frontal, offset frontal and corner impacts. The simulation results are analysed which correctly describe the characteristics and performance of a truck chassis during different impact scenarios. Meanwhile, based on these simulation results, the role a chassis model usually plays during a vehicle crash is discussed. Through the validation and computational simulations, the presented model is proved to be computationally stable, reliable, repeatable and useful for vehicle crashworthiness analysis.

Keywords:

• chassis
• finite element model
• crashworthiness
• frontal impact
• corner impact