Abstract
Systematic 3-point bending crash tests were conducted with high strength steels using an M-shaped structure in order to influence the effect of material properties on crash performance. Materials with a wide range of tensile strengths from 590 MPa to 1800 MPa and various thickness from 1.2mm to 1.6mm are examined. The experimental results clarified the effects of sheet thickness, material strength on crash characteristics. Based on the experimental results, a simple method for estimation of bending crash performance using material strength and thickness as parameters was proposed in order to understand the relationship between the weight reduction effect and improvement of crashworthiness in automotive parts when using advanced high strength steels. Numerical simulation considering fracture behavior are carried out to estimate the crash performance and risk of fracture for the ultra-high strength steels. The results of the simulations shows good coloration with the experimental results.
