On the assessment of the macro-element methodology for full vehicle crashworthiness analysis

Very fast full vehicle simulations through the use of effective, but drastically simplified digital models is a topic of great interest to automotive manufacturers and research communities. A non-conventional modelling and simulation approach using the macro-element methodology, embedded in Visual Crash Studio (VCS), is assessed. Modelling practices for converting finite element models to macro-element models are developed and presented. A large number of automotive systems, ranging from components and sub-systems to full vehicle models, is investigated. Numerical results obtained from VCS and the finite element code LS-DYNA compared moderately in the majority of the cases. The accuracy and efficiency of the macro-element methodology for vehicle crashworthiness analysis as well as the necessity for model corrections are discussed. Through improved functionality and accuracy, the macro-element methodology could potentially enable engineers to evaluate multiple conceptual designs in shorter times and revolutionise the vehicle development phase.