Impact response of thin-walled plane frame structures

A numerical study of the impact response of plane frame structures with thin-walled members was performed to predict the deformation and absorbed energy of automobiles under crash loading.The collapse characteristics of thin-walled members under axial compression or bending loads are considered in the present analysis. The load-displacement relations are given for curved beam members, and the inelastic deformations of members are described in terms of equivalent internal loads and their histories.Crash tests on simplified plane frame models impacted against a flat barrier were performed to verify the proposed method.Numerical analyses were also made of an oblique barrier impact of an automobile underframe structure and a rear end collision of a vehicle structural system. The analytical predictions were compared with the corresponding test results.