Parametric design and structural improvements to optimise frontal crashworthiness of a truck

The time spending on modifying structures can be reduced if the vehicle crashworthiness performance optimisation is conducted using a conceptual or simplified computer-aided engineering (CAE) model at an early design stage. This paper uses a simplified CAE model to reduce the truck's stiffness. To represent the fully detailed CAE model, the simplified truck body model is built in the way that its total energy absorption and the buckling mode in each major component are the same as the detailed model during the frontal impact. Then, an optimisation analysis is conducted on the simplified model against the overall objectives of the truck crashworthiness, which are the survival space in the cab and the rebounded energy of the impactor. The objectives are divided into subobjectives of the frames, mounts and the energy absorber. Then, the cross sections of floor rails and energy absorber are designed based on the substructure's performance. In the end, the truck crashworthiness in ECE R29 regulations in the virtual test is improved substantially. The CAE-led design method shows advantages in the truck crashworthiness design. It can also be used in the early design of a new truck.