Expanded Polypropylene (EPP) - A Global Solution for Pedestrian Safety Bumper Systems

Murata, S.; Shioya, Satoru; Suffis, Bert

doi:10.4271/2004-01-1703

Cited by 6 publications

(3 citation statements)

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“…Today, foams can also be used inside other structural elements of the external body for passengers' passive safety in a car crash [4]. In some cases, foams are used to absorb energy without any outer skin or casing [5]- [6]. There are, however, many factors to consider when designing an energy absorber.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Quasi-static behaviour of crash components with steel skins and polymer foam cores

Reyes

2018

Materials Today Communications

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Different types of crash components are extensively used by the automotive industry to absorb energy during car accidents. Such components typically consist of sandwich structures with thin metal or composite plates as skins and a cellular foam as core to dissipate the energy. In this study, the quasi-static behaviour of two types of polymeric foams with different densities, namely extruded polystyrene (XPS) and expanded polypropylene (EPP), utilized as core material in a crash component, has been investigated. First, an extensive material test program involving compression tests on cubic specimens loaded in different material directions was carried out to reveal the mechanical properties of the foams. Second, quasi-static impact tests were conducted on various target configurations consisting of 0.8 mm thick skins of Docol 600DL steel and the various foam materials as core. In these tests, the applied force and the displacement of the striker were registered by the test machine, while digital cameras and 3D-DIC were used to measure the back-plate out-of-plane displacement of the various components.It seems clear from the presented results that if low weight combined with maximum energy absorption are the primary interests, an XPS foam as core seems to be beneficial, while if force reduction and minimum back-plate displacement are most important, an EPP foam as core seems to be a better choice. Thus, the response of the crash component is largely determined by the properties of the core material during quasi-static loading.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Quasi-static behaviour of crash components with steel skins and polymer foam cores

Reyes

2018

Materials Today Communications

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“…Previous studies also indicate that the geometrical (e.g., cross-section geometry and thickness) and welding parameters (e.g., bottom fillet and weld line area and position) could affect the strength of stiffeners [17][18][19]. The authors of [20] investigated the effect of the design of reinforced stiffeners on the energy-absorbing capacity of high-density expanded polypropylene, and concluded that the energy absorption of high-density expanded polypropylene could be optimized by fine-tuning the thickness and height of the reinforced stiffeners. Marco and Giovanni investigated a prototype composite rib structure and the experimental result showed that reinforced stiffeners could significantly improve the specific stiffness and strength of the laminate [9].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the past several decades, many studies have focused on improving the mechanical properties of structures through reinforced designs with a fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) [11][12][13][14][15][16][17][18][19][20]. For example, Nassiraei and Rezadoost recently published a series of studies on the static capacity of tubular components in different connections (X-joints and T/Y-joints) reinforced with FRP, which provided an important reference for engineering design [11][12][13].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Buckling Characteristics of Different Cross-Sectioned LGFR-PP Stiffeners under Axial Compression

Nie

Gao

2023

Coatings

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Long glass fiber-reinforced polypropylene (LGFR-PP) composite structures with stiffeners are important substitutes for metal parts for vehicle lightweighting; a good understanding of the buckling characteristics of LGFR-PP stiffeners would provide an important reference for engineering design. The current work is therefore intended to study the buckling characteristics of different cross-sectioned LGFR-PP stiffeners under axial compression via experimental and theoretical analysis. Firstly, LGFR-PP stiffeners with semicircular, rectangular, and trapeziform cross-sections were compressed at the axial direction using a universal testing machine to obtain the buckling process data. Then, the elasticity stability theory modified according to the experimental results was derived to estimate the buckling resistance of LGFR-PP stiffeners in different designs. The test results showed that the LGFR-PP stiffeners possessed a flexible–torsional bulking instability mode under axial compression, the LGFR-PP stiffeners with a semicircular cross-section had higher compression buckling resistance, and the rectangular and trapeziform cross-sectioned stiffeners had better rigidity. The theoretical analysis showed that the modified elasticity stability theory could generally predict the buckling resistance of LGFR-PP stiffeners under axial compression.

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Current Trends in Bumper Design for Pedestrian Impact

Schuster¹

2006

SAE Technical Paper Series

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Worldwide, the pace of development in pedestrian countermeasures is increasing rapidly. To better understand the state of the art in bumper design for pedestrian impact, a survey of literature and patents has been performed. Two general approaches to reducing the severity of pedestrian lower limb impacts were identified: (a) Provide cushioning and support of the lower limb with a bumper and a new lower stiffener, or (b) Use the bumper as a platform for impact sensors and exterior airbags. This study focused on the first approach. Excluding bumper sensors, airbags, and non design-related articles, a total of 130 relevant technical articles and 147 patents were identified. The most common method proposed for cushioning the lower limb in an impact uses an energy absorber (plastic foam or 'egg-crate') in front of a semi-rigid (steel or aluminum) beam. There are also proposals for 'spring steel', steel-foam composites, crush-cans, and plastic beams. The most common method proposed for supporting the lower limb in an impact is a secondary lower beam, known as a 'stiffener' or 'spoiler'. Most proposed lower stiffeners are plastic plates or metal beams supported by the engine undertray, the radiator support, or the front-end module. In addition to these concepts, there are a number of design proposals involving a deploying bumper or lower stiffener.

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Expanded Polypropylene (EPP) - A Global Solution for Pedestrian Safety Bumper Systems

Cited by 6 publications

References 0 publications

Quasi-static behaviour of crash components with steel skins and polymer foam cores

Quasi-static behaviour of crash components with steel skins and polymer foam cores

Buckling Characteristics of Different Cross-Sectioned LGFR-PP Stiffeners under Axial Compression

Current Trends in Bumper Design for Pedestrian Impact

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