Crashworthiness Evaluation of Side-Door Beam of Vehicle

Abstract

Side-impact collisions are the second leading cause of death and injury in the traffic accidents after frontal crashes. Side-door beams were developed to reduce the velocity and depth of door intrusion into the passenger compartment in side impact crashes. Assessing the effectiveness of side-door beams is significant for reducing occupant fatalities and serious injuries. In this study, full-scale side-impact test finite element models were presented. The test numerical models are based on the FMVSS-214. The crash simulations utilized the LS-DYNA finite element code. The capability of impact energy absorption of side-door beams is discussed herein. Analyses on the performance of beams in side crashes include displacement and intrusion measurement of door and injury analysis of dummy. This study results indicate that the side-door beams have considerable potential for reducing occupant injuries. These results and procedures can be applied as a reference for the optimal design of the side-door beams.