Flexible body modelling in MADYMO

The feasibility of the flexible multibody method to represent deforming dummy components will be demonstrated on the Hybrid III neck. It is shown that the local deformations of the rubber disks as well as the global motions of the neck can be accurately predicted. A new method is presented which allows the effects of material nonlinearities to be accurately represented. This significantly improves the accuracy of the model. A flexible model simulation of the complete Hybrid III neck assembly, which includes the material nonlinearities, is typically an order of magnitude faster than an equivalent finite element model. Flexible body models which neglect the material nonlinearties are approximately two orders of magnitude faster than an equivalent finite element model