Innovative Vehicle Concept for the Integration

of Alternative Power Trains

P. Steinle, M. Kriescher und Prof. H. E. Friedrich,

17. Mrz 2010

Stuttgarter Symposium

Sites and employees of the DLR

Institute of Transport Research

More than 6000 employees working

Hamburg

in 27 research institutes and

facilities

Bremen
Trauen
Braunschweig

Institute of Transportation Systems

Research Programs:
Aeronautics
Space
Transport
Energy

Neustrelitz
BerlinCharlottenburg
Berlin--
Adlershof

Gttingen
Kln-Porz
Bonn Sankt Augustin
Darmstadt
Institute of Vehicle Concepts

Lampoldshausen
Stuttgart

Weilheim

Oberpfaffenhofen

Stuttgarter Symposium > P. Steinle und M. Kriescher > 17.03.2010, Folie 2

Table of contents
Motivation
Lightweight design strategies
General Requirements
Two different approaches
Rib and Space-Frame
Hybrid structures
Summary and Conclusion

Stuttgarter Symposium > P. Steinle und M. Kriescher > 17.03.2010, Folie 3

Motivation
Global trends
Resources of water and oil run short
Climate change can not be ignored
Increasing population asks for mobility

Reduction of vehicles weight

for reduced driving resistance
Less fuel consumption and
CO2-emissions
Increasing efficiency
Alternative energy and storage
Stuttgarter Symposium > P. Steinle und M. Kriescher > 17.03.2010, Folie 4

Lightweight design strategies

Step 1
Materials

Step 2.1

Concept
Step 2.2
Step 2.3

Law
Customer
and Market
CO2Strategy

Shape
Package

Requirements

Integration

Materials

Modularisation

Surfaces

Technologies

Shape

Processes

Geometry
Source: Haldenwanger, Beeh, Friedrich
Stuttgarter Symposium > P. Steinle und M. Kriescher > 17.03.2010, Folie 5

Rib and Space-Frame

Requirements general
Law
StVZO
EG/EWG
ECE
Global (e.g. FMVSS, IIHS)

Customer and Market

Improved modularization
Scalable vehicle and
propulsion system

CO2-Restrictions
Alternative Propulsion
Systems (e.g. BEV, FC)

H2

CH4
e-

Stuttgarter Symposium > P. Steinle und M. Kriescher > 17.03.2010, Folie 6

Rib and Space-Frame

Requirements specific
General Requirements
Lightweight

Comfort

Safety

Cost

Alternative
Propulsion
Systems

Customer
Acceptance

Stuttgarter Symposium > P. Steinle und M. Kriescher > 17.03.2010, Folie 7

Vehicle Concepts
Two Different approaches
Rib-and Space-Frame
Top-Down-Method

Higher specific energy absorption

Bottom-up-Method
Detail 1

Detail 1

Detail 2

Detail 2

Detail 3

Detail 3

Lightweight and safe body structure

Stuttgarter Symposium > P. Steinle und M. Kriescher > 17.03.2010, Folie 8

Rib and Space-Frame

Concept
Alternative propulsion system (e.g. Battery) integrated into the
vehicles floor
Continuous side members
Continuous rib structure
Crash-Elements between side members and rocker

Fiber Reinforced Plastics

Magnesium
Aluminium
Steel
Stuttgarter Symposium > P. Steinle und M. Kriescher > 17.03.2010, Folie 9

Rib and Space-Frame

Mechanical principle of the rib
Basic idea: rigid B-pillar with flexural joint in
the roof pillar and high performance energy
absorption below the drivers seat
Minimum deformation in the rib-structure
with maximum energy absorption in the
crash elements

Roof Crossbar

Joint

B-Pillar

FCrash
Safety-Containment
for alternative propulsion systems

Side member

Part Requirements: Stiffness, Energy absorption, structural integrity

Stuttgarter Symposium > P. Steinle und M. Kriescher > 17.03.2010, Folie 10

Rib and Space-Frame

Design of the rib
Topology Optimization with static substitute loads
Benchmark of different materials
Interpretation and realization of the simulation results
Conversion of the generic design to the real design requirements
Inner Skin
Omega profile
Outer Skin

Mass per unit of stiffness

Beam in bending Fixed: length, width Free: thickness

2000

1000

500

Reinforcement
Crash-cones

200

200

500

1000

2000

Mass per unit of stiffness

Shaft in torsion Fixed: length, section shape

Free: section area

Support

Stuttgarter Symposium > P. Steinle und M. Kriescher > 17.03.2010, Folie 11

Rib and Space-Frame

Simulation und Crash
Simulation and Validation of the B-Rip-Design
Simulation side impact

Crash test

New design: ca. 29 kg

Reference structure: ca. 45 kg
Stuttgarter Symposium > P. Steinle und M. Kriescher > 17.03.2010, Folie 12

Rib and Space-Frame

Mechanical principle of the Crash Compartment
Rigid structure in the middle of the vehicle
Energy absorption between rocker and side
member

Floor Concept: Stiffness, Energy absorption, structural integrity

Stuttgarter Symposium > P. Steinle und M. Kriescher > 17.03.2010, Folie 13

Rib and Space-Frame

Boundary Conditions of the Crash compartment
Simplified Model

Energy Absorber

Equivalent masses

+
Crash compartment

Performed Tests
Side Pole Impact according to:
EuroNCAP
FMVSS 214
Variation along x-axis (real life safety)

x-axis
Stuttgarter Symposium > P. Steinle und M. Kriescher > 17.03.2010, Folie 14

Rib and Space-Frame

Global Vehicle Behavior of the Crash compartment
Superposition of two different velocities between side member and
rocker
Velocity 1: Translation along y-direction
Velocity 2: Translation along x-direction

Stuttgarter Symposium > P. Steinle und M. Kriescher > 17.03.2010, Folie 15

Rib and Space-Frame

Results of the Crash compartment
Discrete Energy absorber
Collapse according to shear forces
Continuous energy absorber
Better acceptance of shear forces
Large-scale support of the rocker
Robust against different impact scenarios
Discrete structure

Continuous structure

Lower intrusions with the same weight

Stuttgarter Symposium > P. Steinle und M. Kriescher > 17.03.2010, Folie 16

Rib and Space-Frame

Results and further proceedings of the Crash compartment
Real life crash represents the worst case
Improved load carrying capacity
Reduced accelerations (compared to the discrete structure)

Further Proceeding
Different types of energy absorbers (Geometry, Material)
Integration of the floor into the energy absorption
Stuttgarter Symposium > P. Steinle und M. Kriescher > 17.03.2010, Folie 17

Table of contents
Motivation
Lightweight design strategies
General Requirements
Two different approaches
Rib and Space-Frame
Hybrid structures
Summary and Conclusion

Stuttgarter Symposium > P. Steinle und M. Kriescher > 17.03.2010, Folie 18

Motivation

floor structure developed by DLR during SLC-project

collapse of the rockers and side pieces cross-section during pole-crash ->
energy must be absorbed by various other components
a stabilisation of the cross-section during bending should lead to a much higher
weight specific energy-absorption of the rocker -> higher freedom of design and
choice of materials for the surrounding structures, like the floor panels ->
possibility of an overall weight reduction
the storage of critical components like Li-Ion batteries in the underbody requires
a low intrusion
demand for a simple, lightweight concept made of relatively cheap materials,
adaptable to different kinds of vehicle concepts
Stuttgarter Symposium > P. Steinle und M. Kriescher > 17.03.2010, Folie 19

Basic principle
Stabilisation of
cross section

Absorption of crash energy

through elongation of material

stabilisation of the beam by a

core structure
the core must stay intact,
throughout the entire bending
process, in order to increase
weight specific energy absorption
simplified LS-Dyna-calculations
showed an increase in weight
specific energy absorption by a
factor of about 2,5
Stuttgarter Symposium > P. Steinle und M. Kriescher > 17.03.2010, Folie 20

Testing performed in cooperation with DOW

DC 04 - beam filled with foam by

the DOW chemical company

hollow beam

foam filled beam

Stuttgarter Symposium > P. Steinle und M. Kriescher > 17.03.2010, Folie 21

Geometric variations
deformation mode stays the same for different cross
sections
test with a crosssection rotated by 90 leads to higher peak
force but earlier failure of the material -> steel with a higher
max. strain would lead to even better results

Stuttgarter Symposium > P. Steinle und M. Kriescher > 17.03.2010, Folie 22

Integration into the underbody structure, basic principle

conventional rectangular
topology:
difficulty in
designing an
appropriate
support
structure

a ring-like shaped, filled structure should lead to comparatively low strain values,
distributed over a large portion of the structure

Stuttgarter Symposium > P. Steinle und M. Kriescher > 17.03.2010, Folie 23

LS-Dyna-Simulation results with a simplified body

structure
modified pole crash:
the modified pole crash was performed to avoid the addition of virtual
weights
car body is fixed
weight of pole= 1380 kg
speed of pole = 29 km/h
intrusion is slightly more severe compared to a regular pole crash

Stuttgarter Symposium > P. Steinle und M. Kriescher > 17.03.2010, Folie 24

Modified pole crash results with a simplified body

structure
results of the new structure:
reduction of intrusion by a factor of 2,7,
compared to a full vehicle with interior,
even without floor panel, seat structure
etc.
proof of the basic principle: the underbody
structure is deformed as one ring,
without any collapse of particular parts

Stuttgarter Symposium > P. Steinle und M. Kriescher > 17.03.2010, Folie 25

Deformation behaviour

Stuttgarter Symposium > P. Steinle und M. Kriescher > 17.03.2010, Folie 26

Summary and conclusions

Two different approaches for lightweight and safe vehicle structures for
small/medium and large scale production
DLR Rib and Space-Frame with high intrusion resistance of the B-Rip
and Crash compartment
An underbody structure composed of a ring-like filled structure results in
a very high intrusion resistance during pole crash. A large portion of the
underbody could therefore be used for the storage of critical components
like Li-Ion batteries
A more detailed car body structure is needed to make accurate weight
predictions
Optimization of the structure by decreasing intrusion resistance in favor
of reduced weight seems reasonable
For further questions and to see a model of the car body please visit our
exhibition stand
Stuttgarter Symposium > P. Steinle und M. Kriescher > 17.03.2010, Folie 27

Thank you for your attention