Advancing


automotive simulation


Robert Roe looks at developments in crash testing simulation – including larger, more intricate simulations,


the use of optimisation software, and the development of new methodologies through collaboration between ISVs, commercial companies, and research organisations


S


imulation allows engineers to shorten product development times significantly by reducing the need for physical testing. Simulation is particularly important to


the automotive industry as it must meet strict regulations on the performance of vehicles under crash conditions. Early crash simulations have been around since


the 1980’s but, at that time, they were constrained by the computer hardware available. Laurent Di Valentin, senior CAE expert for the PSA Group, explained that while early models were much simpler, PSA group and many similar commercial organisations have been using simulation for many years because of the competitive advantage it offers. Valentin explained: ‘We [PSA Group] invest in


simulation because it provides us with a result that can reduce the need for testing and prototypes,


30 SCIENTIFIC COMPUTING WORLD


which significantly reduces the development time of the project. We accepted that there was a need to invest in HPC servers to get these results.’ PSA group is a French multinational


manufacturer of automobiles and motorcycles sold under the Peugeot, Citroën and DS Automobiles brands. Crash simulation soſtware has improved


greatly over the last 30 years, to the point that it is now beginning to replace physical testing and validation. Tis has become possible thanks to much larger, more accurate simulations, sometimes containing millions of elements. Tese simulations can recreate sophisticated physics and simulate material properties, allowing automotive companies to validate new vehicles and components with less physical testing. For Dassault Systèmes, this has meant


considerable research and product development


in making their simulations a realistic as possible, both in terms of the physics involved and the visualisation of results. Dale Berry, senior director SIMULIA product


experience technical from Dassault Systèmes, commented that ‘there has been a tremendous amount of development in this soſtware field to be sure that these models are realistic. It doesn’t do anyone any good if these soſtware models cannot recreate accurate physics.’ ‘It is really about making sure that your design


is right the first time so that, when you do go and build a prototype you can physically test, you know it will pass certification testing and you can go straight into production,’ stated Berry. Recreating real world physics can be


incredibly computationally intensive. Tis is because recreating material deformation requires incredibly detailed models with a fine grain mesh. Tis is especially true for crash simulation as small material defects – introduced in manufacturing – can cause unwanted effects during a crash. One aspect of this that Altair and PSA have


been investigating is rupture and buckling of materials under crash conditions. Altair’s Di Valentin explained that, to model


rupture properly, you need both a well-defined model that can both predict the failure of parts accurately, and also a very fine mesh that is ‘able


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