Toward Better Failure Prediction for Crash Simulations using High Performance Computing (HPC)

As automotive regulations impose lower and lower CO2 emission levels, manufacturers face serious challenges in decreasing design structure mass by using higher strength-to-weight ratio materials. However, introducing new materials into a design process is not a simple undertaking; design rules and numerical tools must evolve to comprehend the characteristics -- and evaluate the potential failures – of such materials. Otherwise, there is risk in delaying production awaiting reliable design direction from simulation, or (worst case) having to redesign a part late in the design cycle. In addition, due to the large, nonlinear deformations involved in simulating crash or rupture events, proper material failure criteria is essential to results accuracy. Evaluating new materials, which by definition lack the testing and refinement over time of conventional materials, also typically results in applying higher safety factors for the design which can lead to oversizing of structural parts.