Crash analysis and energy absorption characteristics of S-shaped longitudinal members

This paper presents finite element simulations of the crash behavior and the energy absorption characteristics of thin S-shaped longitudinal members with variable cross-sections made of different materials to investigate the design of optimized energy-absorbing members. Numerical studies are carried out by simulation via the explicit finite element code LS-DYNA [1] to determine the desired variables for the design of energy-absorbing members. The specific energy absorption (SEA), the weight of the members and the peak force responses during the frontal impact are the main measurements of the S-shaped members' performance. Several types of inner stiffening members are also investigated to determine the influence of the additional stiffness on the crash behavior