This paper illustrates development of a safety CAE (Computer Aided Engineering) tool. The MADYMO full vehicle concept model of a body-on-frame utility vehicle for frontal impact was developed to perform up-front safety analysis. This full vehicle model is capable of predicting both structural and occupant response. To gain confidence, the model was correlated with the test for both structural and occupant response. A problem of higher chest G's was identified. Two approaches were taken to look at the problem: 1) Direct optimization was used with some parameters to minimize the chest G's; and 2) DOE (Design of Experiments) approach was used to study the sensitivity analysis and understand the interaction of various components on the response of interest (chest G's). The results and the direction provided by both the approaches are compared later. This paper demonstrates the approach to solve such problems. A methodology was also developed to generate this type of MADYMO concept models for all other similar types of configuration. This new tool needs geometry, weight, stiffness characteristics etc. of key components as an input. Based on this information it generates the full vehicle MADYMO model which can be used to predict occupant and structural response. This method has been implemented for body-on-frame pick-up trucks and utility vehicles. Later it will be extended for unibody and subframe type vehicles. Once implemented this new method will help drive a more efficient and effective design for safety. (A)
Abstract