Contrastive analysis and crashworthiness optimization of two composite thin-walled structures

Abstract

For the safety protection of passengers when train crashes occur, special structures are crucially needed as a kind of indispensable energy absorbing device. With the help of the structures, crash kinetic-energy can be completely absorbed or dissipated for the aim of safety. Two composite structures (circumscribed circle structure and inscribed circle structure) were constructed. In addition, comparison and optimization of the crashworthy characteristic of the two structures were carried out based on the method of explicit finite element analysis (FEA) and Kriging surrogate model. According to the result of Kriging surrogate model, conclusions can be safely drawn that the specific energy absorption (SEA) and ratio of specific energy absorption to initial peak force(REAF) of circumscribed circle structure are lager than those of inscribed circle structure under the same design parameters. In other words, circumscribed circle structure has better performances with higher energy-absorbing ability and lower initial peak force. Besides, error analysis was adopted and the result of which indicates that the Kriging surrogate model has high nonlinear fitting precision. What is more, the SEA and REAF optimum values of the two structures have been obtained through analysis, and the crushing results have been illustrated when the two structures reach optimum SEA and REAF.

Keywords

contrastive analysis / crashworthiness optimization / composite structure / Kriging surrogate model / finite element analysis

References

[1] ErenI, GurY, AksoyZ. Finite element analysis of collapse of front side rails with new types of crush initiators [J]. International Journal of Automotive Technology, 2009, 10(4): 451-457

[2] BelingardiG, CavatortaM P, DuellaR. Material characterization of a composite-foam sandwich for the front structure of a high speed train [J]. Composite structures, 2003, 61(1/2): 13-25

[3] XieS C, ZhouH, ZhaoJ J, ZhangY C. Energy-absorption forecast of thin-walled structure by GA-BP hybrid algorithm [J]. Journal of Central South University, 2013, 20(4): 1122-1128

[4] MarsolekJ, ReimerdesH G. Energy absorption of metallic cylindrical shells with induced non-axisymmetric folding patterns [J]. International Journal of Impact Engineering, 2004, 30(8/9): 1209-1223

[5] AlexanderJ M. An approximate analysis of the collapse of thin cylindrical shells under axial loading [J]. The Quarterly Journal of Mechanics and Applied Mathematics, 1960, 13(1): 10-15

[6] QiaoJ S, ChenJ H, CheH Y. Crashworthiness assessment of square aluminum extrusions considering the damage evolution [J]. Thin-Walled Structures, 2006, 44(6): 692-700

[7] ZareiH R, KrogerM. Multiobjective crashworthiness optimization of circular aluminum tubes [J]. Thin-Walled Structures, 2006, 44(3): 301-308

[8] WangB, LuG. Mushrooming of circular tubes under dynamic axial loading [J]. Thin-Walled Structures, 2002, 40(2): 167-182

[9] NagelG M, ThambiratnamD P. A numerical study on the impact response and energy absorption of tapered thin-walled tubes [J]. International Journal of Mechanical Sciences, 2004, 46(2): 201-216

[10] NagelG M, ThambiratnamD P. Computer simulation and energy absorption of tapered thin-walled rectangular tubes [J]. Thin-Walled Structures, 2005, 43(8): 1225-1242

[11] KimH S. New extruded multi-cell aluminum profile for maximum crash energy absorption and weight efficiency [J]. Thin-Walled Structures, 2002, 40(4): 311-327

[12] XiangY J, WangQ X, FanZ J, FangH B. Optimal crashworthiness design of a spot-welded thin-walled hat section [J]. Finite Elements in Analysis and Design, 2006, 42(10): 846-855

[13] MeguidS A, AttiaM S, MonfortA. On the crush behaviour of ultralight foam-filled structures [J]. Materials and Design, 2004, 25(3): 183-189

[14] AhmadZ, ThambiratnamD P. Crushing response of foam-filled conical tubes under quasi-static axial loading [J]. Materials and Design, 2009, 30(7): 2393-2403

[15] RedheM, GigerM, NilssonL. An investigation of structural optimization in crashworthiness design using a stochastic approach [J]. Structural and Multidisciplinary Optimization, 2004, 27(6): 446-459

[16] ForsbergJ, NilssonL. On polynomial response surfaces and Kriging for use in structural optimization of crashworthiness [J]. Structural and multidisciplinary optimization, 2005, 29(3): 232-243

[17] HouS, LiQ, LongS, YangX J, LiW. Design optimization of regular hexagonal thin-walled columns with crashworthiness criteria [J]. Finite Elements in Analysis and Design, 2007, 43(6/7): 555-565

[18] HouS, LiQ, LongS, YangX J, LiW. Multiobjective optimization of multi-cell sections for the crashworthiness design [J]. International Journal of Impact Engineering, 2008, 35(11): 1355-1367

[19] HouS, LiQ, LongS, YangX J, LiW. Crashworthiness design for foam filled thin-wall structures [J]. Materials and Design, 2009, 30(6): 2024-2032

[20] HouS, HanX, SunG, LiW, YangX J, LiQ. Multiobjective optimization for tapered circular tubes [J]. Thin-Walled Structures, 2011, 49(7): 855-863

[21] RikardsR, AbramovichH, KalninsK, AuzinsJ. Surrogate modeling in design optimization of stiffened composite shells [J]. Composite Structures, 2006, 73(2): 244-251

[22] ParkC, JohC, KimY. Multidisciplinary design optimization of a structurally nonlinear aircraft wing via parametric modeling [J]. International Journal of Precision Engineering and Manufacturing, 2009, 10(2): 87-96

[23] ZareiH, KrogerM. Optimum honeycomb filled crash absorber design [J]. Materials and Design, 2008, 29(1): 193-204

[24] ZhuP, ZhangY, ChenG L. Metamodeling development for reliability-based design optimization of automotive body structure [J]. Computers in Industry, 2011, 62(7): 729-741

[25] ForsbergJ, NilssonL. Evaluation of response surface methodologies used in crashworthiness optimization [J]. International Journal of Impact Engineering, 2006, 32(5): 759-777

[26] LanziL, AiroldiA, ChirwaC. Application of an iterative global approximation technique to structural optimizations [J]. Optimization and Engineering, 2009, 10(1): 109-132

[27] SakataS, AshidaF, ZakoM. Structural optimization using Kriging approximation [J]. Computer Methods in Applied Mechanics and Engineering, 2003, 192(7/8): 923-939

[28] JiangZ Y, GuM T. Optimization of a fender structure for the crashworthiness design [J]. Materials and Design, 2010, 31(3): 1085-1095

[29] ChenS Y. An approach for impact structure optimization using the robust genetic algorithm [J]. Finite Elements in Analysis and Design, 2001, 37(5): 431-446

[30] LanziL, CastellettiL M L, AnghileriM. Multi-objective optimisation of composite absorber shape under crashworthiness requirements [J]. Composite Structures, 2004, 65(3/4): 433-441

[31] WangX, ShaoMBasic theory and numerical method of finite element method [M], 2002, Beijing, Tsinghua University Press

[32] WangH, ZhuX, DuZ. Aerodynamic optimization for low pressure turbine exhaust hood using Kriging surrogate model [J]. International Communications in Heat and Mass Transfer, 2010, 37(8): 998-1003