• Transactions of the Korean Society of Automotive Engineers
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.112-119
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• 2006

This paper is concerned with the light-weight design of a center-pillar assembly for the high-speed side impact of vehicle using advanced high strength steels(AHSS). Steel industries continuously promote the ULSAB-AVC project for applying AHSS to structural parts as an alternative way to improve the crashworthiness and the fuel efficiency because it has the superior strength compared to the conventional steel. In order to simulate deformation behavior of the center-pillar assembly, a simplified center-pillar model is developed and parts of that are subdivided employing tailor-welded blanks(TWB) in order to control the deformation shape of the center-pillar assembly. The thickness of each part which constitutes the simplified model is selected as a design parameter. Factorial design is carried out aiming at the application and configuration of AHSS to simplified side-impact analysis because it needs tremendous computing time to consider all combinations of parts. In optimization of the center-pillar, S-shaped deformation is targeted to guarantee the reduction of the injury level of a driver dummy in the crash test. The objective function is constructed so as to minimize the weight and lead to S-shape deformation mode. Optimization also includes the weight reduction comparing with the case using conventional steels. The result shows that the AHSS can be utilized effectively for minimization of the vehicle weight and induction of S-shaped deformation.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Automotive Engineers
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.84-92
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• 2005

This paper is concerned with optimum design of a center-pillar assembly induced by the high-speed side impact of the vehicle. In order to simulate deformation behavior of the center-pillar assembly, simplified finite element model of the center-pillar and a moving deformable barrier are developed based on results of the crash analysis of a full vehicle model. In optimization of the deformation shape of the center-pillar, S-shaped deformation is targeted to guarantee reduction of the injury level of a driver dummy in the crash test. Tailor-welded blanks are adopted in the simplified center-pillar model to control the deformation shape of the center-pillar assembly. The thickness of each part which constitutes the simplified model is selected as a design parameter. The thickness of parts which have significant effect on the deformation mechanism are selected as design parameters with sensitivity analysis based on the design of experiment technique. The objective function is constructed so as to minimize the weight and lead to an S-mode deformation shape. The result shows that the simplified model can be utilized effectively for optimum design of the center-pillar members with remarkable saving of computing time.