Analysis of occupant crash protection in designing lightweight automotive side member

Abstract

In this study an aluminum alloy AA5182 is introduced as an alternative lightweight material. The analysis is performed on a main energy absorber for frontal impact that is the automotive side member. It is the aim of this paper to highlight the importance of properly designed automotive side member for occupant protection in crash. The work investigates the crash performance of the automotive side member made of steel and its aluminium counterpart. Simulations are carried out through nonlinear finite element analysis software Ls-dyna. It was shown that the introduction of AA5182 provides great reduction in mass while improving the occupant protection.