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Dynamically-Positioned Search Domain Used In Numerical Simulation Of An Impact Event Between Two Objects

  • US 20180285502A1
  • Filed: 06/06/2018
  • Published: 10/04/2018
  • Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2014
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. A method comprising:

  • receiving a first computerized model representing a fixed barrier and a second computerized model representing an automobile to be improved according to a set of crashworthiness criteria in a computer system having a finite element analysis (FEA) application module installed thereon, the second computerized model being defined with a plurality of nodal points connected by a plurality of finite elements;

    establishing, by the FEA application module based upon one or more user-specified parameters, a search domain that covers a three-dimensional space within which contacts between the second computerized model and the first computerized model, and amongst the finite elements of the second computerized model are detected in a time-marching numerical simulation of the second object colliding into the first object in an impact event, said one or more user-specified parameters including the search domain'"'"'s physical characteristics and the search domain'"'"'s physical location with respect to the second computerized model;

    obtaining numerically-calculated structural behaviors of the second computerized model by conducting the time-marching numerical simulation using the FEA application module, at each of a plurality of solution cycles during the time-marching numerical simulation, automatically repositioning the search domain, without any user interaction, to align with a local coordinate system affixed to the second computerized model that moves and rotates in response to detected contacts, physical characteristics of the search domain being constant and unchanged after each repositioning, wherein the numerically-calculated structural behaviors include effects from the detected contacts within the search domain, one or more of the finite elements representing a debris having broken free from the second computerized model and being located outside of the search domain are excluded from further detection and treatment of contacts, whereby the debris is caused by structural failure in the second computerized model due to the impact event; and

    modifying the automobile based on the numerically-calculated structural behaviors in order to satisfy the set of crashworthiness criteria.

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