Study on the Step by Step Energy Absorption Method Based on the Theory of Reverse Design 2007-01-3685

As the length of the frontal structure of the minibus can't be as long as cars, some new methods have to be developed to maximum the effect of the energy absorption. In this paper, a step-by-step energy absorption method which based on reverse design was proposed. Two plates with different size and different thickness which can take part in the energy absorption step by step were added in each of the rectangular longitudinal beams. Finite element models were developed both for rectangular beam and minibus. Multi-body model was also developed for the restraint system. The validation of the rectangular beam model was done by sled test, and the minibus model was done by minibus crash test. The computational results matched well with the test results. Then, orthogonal experimental method was used to find the most effective parameters for the energy absorption. These parameters were optimized in the simulation of minibus crash. The simulation results show that better energy absorption results can be gotten by using step-by-step energy absorption method, and the passenger injury parameters can also be controlled at acceptable level. A minibus was improved by using this method, and its crash test results proved the effectiveness of this method.