A honeycomb impact attenuator for a Formula SAE (FSAE) prototype vehicle is examined using both experimental and numerical analyses. Two common FSAE impact attenuators were compared to a new design concept, combining four layers of hexagonal honeycomb. The comparison aimed to obtain the combination of the lowest mass and highest energy absorption. The attenuator must comply with both the FSAE championship rules and further internally-defined design constraints. The work continues addressing the numerical-experimental correlation of the applied materials. Finally, the finite element models for virtual crash testing are presented and were validated through the experimental tests.

A numerical methodology is presented which is based on Topology Optimization (TO) approach for designing continuous heterogeneous structures. This method is then exploited to reduce weight and to increase stiffness in mechanical components. Useful guidelines for the evaluation of equivalent material properties of metallic cellular structures are discussed, and they are applied for the optimization process of an engine mounting bracket under realistic loading and boundary conditions. The outcome of TO, which is related to the material density distribution into the design space, is critically reviewed for the definition of bulk, lattice and void regions within the component.

This paper shows the applicability of a non-linear Finite Element (FE) methodology to analyse the elasto-plastic behaviour and the energy absorption of a padding noise-protection material applied to the vehicle interior components. This material is a sandwich built from alternating layers of polymeric foam and of glass fibre composite. The approach considers two design steps. The first one involves the experimental characterization of the material while the latter deals with the assessment of the numerical models validated for a full-vehicle crash analysis.