Crashworthiness optimisation of A-pillar in passenger car in rear-end collision with truck

• Published in: International journal of crashworthiness Vol. 21; no. 6; pp. 507 - 520
• Main Authors: Yang, Na, Cao, Pengfei, Liu, Tao, Wang, Jianfeng, Wang, Dafang
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cambridge Taylor & Francis 01.11.2016; Taylor & Francis Ltd
• Subjects: Automobile industry; Automotive accidents; Automotive engineering; Casualties; combinatorial optimisation algorithm; Crashworthiness; Impact strength; Intrusion; material optimisation; Optimization; Optimization algorithms; Passengers; Rear-end collision; stiffness match; Traffic accidents & safety; Trucks
• ISSN: 1358-8265; 1573-8965; 1754-2111
• DOI: 10.1080/13588265.2016.1192087

Rear-end collisions between cars and trucks are of great concern to society because of their high casualty rate. Improving the safety of passengers during these collisions is a significant issue. This paper aims to optimise the crashworthiness of the A-pillar area of a car according to the collision form based on the finite-element model of the car-truck rear-end collision. Through the optimisation process, the value and speed of the intrusion into the A-pillar were selected as the evaluation assessment indicators, and the optimisation design was conducted from two viewpoints: the material selection and stiffness match. As a result of the optimisation, the maximum intrusion of the A-pillar of the car was reduced by 33.19%, and the intrusion speed was reduced by 46.98% without increasing the body mass of the car. These results indicate that the crashworthiness of the car was improved effectively; thus, the occupant casualty risk was reduced. They suggest a feasible path for the crashworthiness improvements of automobiles for rear-end collisions.