Numerical Study of a Novel Built-In Energy-Absorbing Component for Adaptive Steering Columns

Abstract

The steering-wheel—steering-column assemblies fitted in automobiles must have a high energy absorption performance in order to minimize occupant chest injuries in the event of a collision. This paper proposes a novel built-in energy-absorbing (EA) component which causes the impact load transmitted to the occupant to vary in accordance with the crash severity and the occupant mass. A finite element (FE) model of the steering-column system is constructed on the basis of realistic product computer-aided design data, and a series of LS-DYNA simulations are performed to examine the dynamic responses of the steering wheel and steering column in body block impact tests performed using body blocks of different weights. The validity of the FE model is confirmed by comparing the numerical results for the torso force profile over the duration of the impact with the experimental results obtained in two standard body block tests. The validated model is then used to examine the energy absorption performance of the proposed EA device consisting of a hollow cylindrical tube patterned with an array of circular openings. The simulations focus specifically on the effects of the total hole-opening area, the cylinder thickness, and the cylinder material on the torso force profile over the duration of the impact. It is shown that, given an appropriate specification of the design parameters, the proposed EA device satisfies the peak load requirement specified in the FMVSS 203 standard and absorbs 163 J and 235 J of the impact kinetic energy for body block weights of 24 kgf and 34 kgf respectively.

Keywords

energy-absorbing steering column body block test finite element method adaptive energy-absorbing steering column

Get full access to this article

View all access options for this article.

References

Horsch

J. D.

Viano

D.C.

DeCou

, History of safety research and development on the General Motors energy-absorbing steering system. SAE paper 912890, 1991.

Horsch

J.D.

Culver

C.C.

The role of steering wheel structure in the performance of energy absorbing steering systems. SAE paper 831607, 1983.

Banshoya

Okoshi

Asano

Okamoto

Development of energy-absorbing steering column assembly for small passenger cars. SAE paper 670914, 1967.

Jeon

S.-K

Park

G.-J

, Injury patterns of the Hybrid III fifth percentile female dummy according to airbag inflation.’ Proc. IMechE, Part D: J. Automobile Engineering , 2005, 220(1) (2005): 15–25 DOI: 10.1243/095440705X69623.

Huang

Zhong

Liu

Modeling and simulation of a sandwiched tube-type airbag and its optimization using design of experiments.’

Proc. IMechE, Part D: J. Automobile Engineering 221(9), 1089–1095 DOI: 10.1243/09544070JAUTO480.

Schneider

Jones

Impact of thin-walled high-strength steel structural sections.’

Proc. IMechE, Part D: J. Automobile Engineering 218 (2) (2003), 218(2), 131–157. DOI: 10.1243/095440704772913927.

Wang

H.-P.

C.-T.

Guo

Botkin

M.E.

A coupled meshfree/finite element method for automotive crashworthiness simulations. Int. J. Impact Engng 2009, 36(10-11): 1210–1222.

Altenhof

Paonessa

Zamani

, The distribution of energy absorbed by a three-spoke steering wheel armature in an impact with a deformable chestform. Proc. IMechE, Part D: J. Automobile Engineering 2000, 215(5), (2000): 589–601. DOI: 10.1243/0954407011528185.

Altenhof

Paonessa

Zamani

Gaspar

An experimental and finite element investigation into the energy absorption characteristics of a steering wheel armature in an impact. Int. J. Impact Engng 2002, 27(2): 197–212.

10.

Altenhof

Zamani

Arnold

Observations on the energy absorption characteristics of a three-spoke steering wheel armature during impact’

Proc. IMechE, Part D: J. Automobile Engineering 2003, 217(12) 1057–1069 DOI: 10.1243/09544070360729400.

11.

Altenhof

Ames

Strain rate effects for aluminum and magnesium alloys in finite element simulations of steering wheel armature impact tests.’

Fatigue Fracture Engng Mater. Structs , 2002 25(12), 1149–1156.

12.

McKie

Simulation of body block steering wheel impacts using DYNA3D. In Proceedings of the First European LS-DYNA Conference, March 1997, pp. 9. 1–9.14 (Motor Industry Research Association, Nuneaton, Warwickshire.).

13.

Kodwani

R. K.

Young

Yang

Raman

S.V.

Steering wheel impact test simulation. In Proceedings of the Altair CAE Users Conference, Taj Westend, Bangalore, 11–13 August 2005, pp. 1–7 (Altair Engineering, Royal Leamington Spa, War-wickshire).

14.

Gotoh

Ohsawa

Satoh

An investigation of steering column collapse behavior using finite element analysis. SAE paper 920391, 1992.

15.

Struble

R. R.

Faigle

E. M.

Adaptive collapsible steering column. US Pat. 6189929 B1, 2001.

16.

Brown

K.M.

Shrick

B. W.

Adaptive collapsible steering column. US Pat. 6279952, 2001.

17.

Halacka

M. F.

Jurik

Energy absorbing device for a steering column. US Pat. 5755461, 1998.

18.

Fosse

Variable energy absorbing steering column. US Pat. 6170874 B1, 2001.

19.

Hamid

M. S.

Narayanasamy

Shah

M. J.

Riefe

R.K.

Systems approach in development of adaptive energy absorbing steering columns by virtual engineering. SAE paper 2005-01-0705, 2005.

20.

Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (Title 49 Code of Federal Regulations, Part 571), Crash-worthiness, Standard 203 Impact protection for the driver from the steering control system (US Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Safety Assurance, Office of Vehicle Safety Compliance, Washington, DC).

21.

SAE J044. Steering control system-passenger car-laboratory test procedure. In 1992 SAE Handbook, 1992, vol. 4 (SAE International, Warrendale, Philadelphia).

22.

HyperMesh 8.0 User's Manual , 2007 ((Altair Engineering), Royal Leamington Spa, Warwickshire).

23.

LS-DYNA 971 User's Manual , 2009 (Livermore Software Technology Corporation, Livermore, California). 2009).

24.

Saul

R.A.

Pritz

H.B.

McFadden

Backaitis

S. H.

Hallenbeck

Rhule

Description and performance of the Hybrid III three year old, six year old and small female test dummies in restraint system and out-of-position air bag environments. In Proceedings of the 16th International Technical Conference on The enhanced safety of vehicles, June 1998, paper 98-S7-O-01(National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Washington, DC).

25.

William

K. R.

Jones

S. E.

A revised form for the Johnson-Cook strength model. Int. J. Impact Engng , 1998, 21(8), 609–624.