Volvo 3P Cab Engineering includes new material model available in RADIOSS

To better predict behavior of cast parts in crash calculations.

Volvo 3P crash simulations in RADIOSS show very good correlations with physical tests.

TROY, Mich – Altair Engineering, Inc announced today that Volvo 3P Cab Engineering, based in Lyon, France, has introduced new complex material laws in their RADIOSS models to better predict the behavior of ductile cast-iron parts in crash simulations.

Volvo 3P is a Business Unit of the AB Volvo group for product planning, purchasing, global vehicle development, global engineering and product range management, delivering solutions for Volvo Group’s global truck operations. One of Volvo 3P’s basic challenge is the evaluation of vehicle safety under various crash conditions. Intensive phases of simulations are conducted to support and enhance vehicles safety.

To create a numerical simulation model, that covers all the complex conditions involved in crash situation, Volvo 3P uses the Altair software RADIOSS. In the need to study several aspects such as elasto-plastic behavior, hardening, strain rate dependency, triaxial behavior and failure, Volvo 3P relies on the modeling capabilities of RADIOSS. Several tests for material property identification were accomplished to obtain data about the material’s behavior up to the rupture in case of torsion, tension and compression (hardening, strain rate effect, stress state influence). The achieved data were used to validate the numeric model in RADIOSS and enabled the Volvo 3P engineers to set up the right material laws for simulation.

"The prediction of the behavior of single components can be very complex, as recently shown by the prediction of crash behavior for ductile cast-iron brackets," said Jerome Lagrut, senior analyst, Volvo 3P Cab Engineering. “Since the brackets are the critical link between chassis and the driver’s cab, they are key components for the crash behavior and the occupant safety. Certain crashworthiness requirements, such as regulations and severe internal requirements must be covered. After the identification of the material behavior via tests, we have been able to implement these laws in a simulation model for further investigations. The crash simulations on complete vehicles in RADIOSS showed very good correlations with physical tests and we are very pleased with the outcome of our development efforts," he continued.

“We are pleased to see Volvo 3P Cab Engineering engineers expanding the usability of RADIOSS in their development tasks,” said Mauro Guglielminotti, managing director, Altair, France. “Having the ability to better predict crash results is a highly competitive advantage and will lead to better and safer products, a reduced number of prototypes and savings of time and money. Including special validated material laws is the right answer to the calculation needs at Volvo 3P Cab Engineering."