CRASH SIMULATIONS AT TATA MOTORS

VPG-CRASH
3 Dec 2012

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CAE Capabilities Passenger Car

Full Frontal

Side door intrusion

Side impact

Offset Frontal

Seat Belt Anchorage

Roof crush

Side pole crash

Rear impact

Pedestrian leg forms

Pedestrian head forms

Occupant Restraints

CAE Capabilities Commercial Vehicles

Full CAE capability for Bus Rollover simulation (ECE R66)

Under Run Protection Device Strength

Commercial Vehicle Cabin Strength (ECE R29)

Offset Frontal Test of Chassis Front End

Test speed = 47 kmph

CHASSIS FRONT END TEST

4

Damage Modeling

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Contents
1.

Important Material Property Aspects for Crash Simulation

2.

Current Material Modeling Process

3.

Need of Damage Modeling

4.

Gurson Model

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Important Material Property Aspects for Crash Simulations

Yield locus

Hardening characteristics

Material damage due instability and Damage modeling

(Damage state of stress/strain dependent material weakening and reduction in ductility)

Material Anisotropy

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Strain Rate effects

Current Material Modeling Process

Test to Model Process:

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Current Material Modeling Process-contd.

1. Standard Coupons prepared for Uniaxial Tension test to get Force- Deflection data.
2. Force-Deflection curve data is converted to Engineering Stress-Strain curve as follows.

3. Engineering Stress-Strain Curves is then converted to True Stress-Strain curve as follows

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Current Material Modeling Process-contd.

4. True Stress-Strain curve is converted to Effective Stress-Strain curve by removing the elastic strains as follows.

5. Resulting hardening curve relates the yield stress as a function of effective plastic strain.

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Limitations of Current Material Modeling Process

Modeling of Elasto-Viscoplastic material Behavior
1.

Stress State not constant at fracture location

For purely Elastic deformations , stresses are uniquely defined by final configuration of the
material regardless of how this final state is reached. For Plastic deformations , because of
presence of irreversible elements , plastic analysis need to follow path along which final
configuration is reached.

2.

Total Elongation from tension test is based on complete measurement length.

Flow stress is derived from uniaxial tension test. Deformation is localized in diffused necking or
localized necking beyond uniform elongation (Refer fig.). Cross section reduction at fracture is
first qualitative measure for ductility of the material. Hence this value cannot be used for
fracture model.

3.

Result of Test data at the Onset of Necking cannot be directly used.

Slope of Engineering Stress-Strain curve is zero a the onset of necking. Slope of True StressStrain curve is greater than zero at the onset of necking. For simulation data beyond necking ,
iterative approach is the only way to match the Force-Deflection curve.

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Need of Damage Modeling

Sample1 Uniaxial Tension Test without Damage included
Comparison of Force vs Displacement curve between Test and Simulation

t=0 ms

t=40 ms

Sample2 Uniaxial Tension Test with Damage included

t=0 ms

t=35 ms

t=40 ms

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Need of Damage Modeling-contd.

In tensile testing , uniform extension ceases while when tensile load reaches material specific maximum. At this point sample
begins to neck. The state of stress changes gradually from simple uniaxial to complicated condition of triaxial stress.
Because of onset of necking destroys the uniaxial state of stress it is impossible to determine uniaxial true stress strain
relation by standard tensile test once necking has started.
Process Chain of Sheet Metal Manufacturing

Forming a. Transferring local sheet thickness after forming to improve geometric description
b. Distribution of local pre-strain as a scalar quantity transferred from one simulation to another.

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Need of Damage Modeling-contd.

Mapping Forming Results in Crash Simulations

Strong dependence of failure strains on actual loading conditions is observed in high strength steels. Hence local plastic
strain values are not sufficient to define local-predamage of part since loading history data not available.
Strain Rates under crash and forming loading are of different nature making criterion like maximum plastic strain to failure
suitable for very special load cases.
To avoid this problem , is the use of damage models for both sides of the process chain.

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10

What is Damage / Fracture

Damage / Fracture is defined as relative loss of ductility.
Ductility is measure of failure strain relative to yield or peak strain. Fracture is sudden change in configuration but the damage
is cumulative process.
Type of Fracture :
a. Brittle Fracture - Fracture of interatomic bounds without noticeable plastic
deformation. This fracture occurs when the local strain energy becomes
larger than the energy necessary to pull the atom layers apart.
Mainly occurs in high strength metals with poor ductility and toughness.
Surface of brittle fracture is characterized by its flat appearance and also
it is perpendicular to the applied load.

b. Ductile Fracture - Fracture caused by instability which is a result of very

high plastic deformations occurring in surroundings of crystalline defects.
Deformation in ductile fracture can be small and large depending on the
density of the defects.
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11

Gurson Model
Most popular model currently used for model damage failure.
Micromechanical Model. Microscopic approach to fracture.
Able to predict , both homogenous and localized dilatational deformation phases caused by presence of voids.
Derived based on the assumption that deformation mode of matrix material surrounding a void is homogenous.
Hence able to predict material softening behaviour due to nucleation and growth of voids. This is extended to predict the shift of
a homogenous deformation mode to a localized mode by void coalescence.
Gurson yield function is as follows

where ,

f = void volume fraction which is average measure of void matrix aggregate

q1, q2 = Constants

m = mean normal stress

eq = conventional von-mises equivalent stress
M = flow stress of matrix material
f* = void volume fraction
where

fc = critical void fraction

ff = void volume fraction at fracture

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12

Gurson Model contd.

LS-DYNA Card for MAT_120 Gurson Model Important data required for the model is listed as below

Q1 = Gurson flow function parameter

Q2 = Gurson flow function parameter

FC = Critical void volume fraction where void begins

to aggregate
F0 = Initial void volume fraction (where void
nucleation starts)
FN = Void Volume fraction of nucleating particles
EN = Mean Nucleation strain

EPS1 to EPS8 = Effective plastic strain values

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13

Gurson Model contd.

ES1 to ES8 = Corresponding yield stress values

L1 to L4 = Element length values

FF1 to FF4 = Corresponding void volume fraction

LCFF = Load curve defining failure void fraction vs

Element length
LCF0 = Load curve defining initial void fraction vs

Element length
LCFC = Load curve defining critical void fraction vs
Element length
LCFN = Load curve defining void volume fraction of
nucleating particles vs Element length

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14

Gurson Model contd.

Limitations of Gurson Model:
1.

Large no. of Input Parameters

In order to use Gurson material for predicting damage, input parameters of the model have to fitted to existing

test data. Due to numerous input parameters which are actually coupled by complex functions of flow rule and
damage evolution creating input data card is difficult and time consuming.
2.

No shear consideration in the model.

The growth rate of voids is zero due to constant pressure. If the total volume fraction to be nucleated is less

than void volume fraction at fracture, the material is predicted not to fail. Hydrostatic pressure remains constant
in simple shear and there is no macroscopic dilatation
3.

Gurson model is not able to describe failure under conditions of mean stress near zero or negative. In some
applications of deep drawing, there are remarkable magnitudes of shear and compressive shear deformation
which causes pre-damage which is not considered in Gurson model.

4.

Due to symmetry of the yield function w.r.t zero or mean stress , Gurson model doesn't predict increase in
strength w.r.t hydrostatic pressure.

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15

Parametric Identification of Damage

Parameters of LS-DYNA Gurson
Material Model
Karthik Chittepu

Ganesh Gadekar, Kedar Joshi

2nd Optimization & Stochastic Days 2012, Dec 3-4, Pune, India

Acknowledgement
Project has been carried out as a collaboration
CADFEM India
Karthik Chittepu

Tata Motors
Ganesh Gadekar
Kedar Joshi

2nd Optimization & Stochastic Days 2012: Dec 3-4, Pune

Crash Application
Importance of crash
simulation?
- Safety

Why simulating?
- Compression of development
cycles
- Cost reduction

Why optiSLang?
- Unknown sensitivities
- Many parameters

2nd Optimization & Stochastic Days 2012: Dec 3-4, Pune

Why Gurson Material Model?

Increasing requirement on crash safety of automotive components
Also increasing demand of light weight and life cycle cost efficient
components
Accurate prediction and numerical simulation of fracture and material
failure

2nd Optimization & Stochastic Days 2012: Dec 3-4, Pune

Methodology
Boundary Conditions

Mesh

CAD Model

Uniaxial Tensile test

Effective Plastic Strain &
Effective Stress

Input Parameters
Output Parameters

LSDYNA Gurson Material Model

LSDYNA (Batch-Run)
LSDYNA Post processing

Plasticity Area
Failure Strain
optiSLang

optiSLang

Post processing in optiSLang

2nd Optimization & Stochastic Days 2012: Dec 3-4, Pune

New Parameter set

Damage Parameter (EN,

FC, FF0, F0, SN, and FN)

LSDYNA Pre Processing

Uniaxial Tensile Test & Simulation Model

Tensile test is carried with one end
fixed and constant rate of motion
on the other end
Force and displacement are
measured

Engineering stress-strain curves is

plotted based on the
measurements

Uniaxial Tensile
Test

FE model is developed based on

test specifications

FE Model

Stress-strain curve

2nd Optimization & Stochastic Days 2012: Dec 3-4, Pune

Calibration of Effective Plastic strain and stress

Besides Youngs Modulus and Poissons ratio, the input of a
uniaxial true stress-strain function is required

Usually determined by the ASTM method

At material specific max. stress, necking of sample begins
Stress changes gradually from the simple uniaxial tension to a
complicated condition of biaxial stress

After necking, weighted average

method is used.
Where w = is the weight constant

2nd Optimization & Stochastic Days 2012: Dec 3-4, Pune

Gurson Material Model

In metals and metallic alloys ductile fracture is linked to the
micromechanical process of micro-voids growth to coalescence
Gurson Model adopts this void growth and nucleation approach
Under plastic deformation, the material strain hardens, and voids
nucleate and grow, and subsequently lead fracture

Ductile fracture process which consist of void

nucleation, growth and coalescence

This behaviour is governed by the damage parameters.

2nd Optimization & Stochastic Days 2012: Dec 3-4, Pune

Damage Parameters
In this parametric identification process the following damage
parameters in the Gurson model has to be identified :
FC: which is the critical void volume fraction,
where voids begin to aggregate.
EN: which is the mean nucleation

FF: which is the failure void volume fraction

F0: which is the initial void ratio
SN: which is standard deviation of EN
FN: which is void fraction of nucleation
particles
FF0: which is failure void fraction

2nd Optimization & Stochastic Days 2012: Dec 3-4, Pune

Post Processing
After the simulation the force and displacement are estimated.
Based on these value Stress-strain plot is plotted.

For the parametric identification following parameters are calculated from the
stress-strain curve
Area Under Plastic Region

Maximum stress
Failure Strain

2nd Optimization & Stochastic Days 2012: Dec 3-4, Pune

Basic Criteria
1. Difference of area under
plastic region between Test
and Simulation
Target: 0
2. Difference of maximum
stress between Test and
Simulation
Target: 0
3. Difference of failure strain
between Test and
Simulation
Target: 0

2nd Optimization & Stochastic Days 2012: Dec 3-4, Pune

Sensitivity Analysis
Sensitivity analysis is used to scan the
design space by varying design
optimization parameters within upper and
lower bounds
Global Sensitivity of responses with
respect to design variables variation
Identification of important input
parameters and possible reduction of
the design space dimension for
optimization
Understanding and verification of the
optimization problem
Choosing a start design for optimization
Proof of numerical robustness
Preparation of the optimization problem
and reduction of the problem dimension

Latin Hypercube
Sampling

2nd Optimization & Stochastic Days 2012: Dec 3-4, Pune

Sensitivity Analysis

EN, FN, SN and FF0 have major influence on maximum

stress value of the curve
EN, FF0 and FN have major influence on the failure strain
and area under plasticity region.
All design parameters are considered for optimization
2nd Optimization & Stochastic Days 2012: Dec 3-4, Pune

Optimization - Evolutionary Algorithm

Evolutionary algorithm is used. Its a
metaheuristic algorithm. This
algorithm is selected due to the low
computation time of each design in
this project
Evolutionary algorithm usually
features
- Robust
- Can handle any complexity
- Takes time to converge

2nd Optimization & Stochastic Days 2012: Dec 3-4, Pune

Optimization - Evolutionary Algorithm

Objective History

Best Design Data

Output Data of Best Design

Damage parameters of the optimized Gurson material are shown in figure

above (Best Design Data)

2nd Optimization & Stochastic Days 2012: Dec 3-4, Pune

Summary
In Crash simulation, numerical simulation of fracture and
material failure is important
Gurson Material model can define the material failure using
the void growth and nucleation approach
Identification of the damage parameters of the Gurson
Material model through tests in expensive
Material identification task is completed automated using
optiSLang
Sensitivity analysis is carried out to find out most influential
design parameters and also start design for optimization
All design parameters are considered for optimization
Evolutionary algorithm is used due to low simulation time
for each design
More research has to be done to understand the Gurson
model behavior
2nd Optimization & Stochastic Days 2012: Dec 3-4, Pune

Thank You