Numerical Analysis of Crashworthiness on Electric Vehicle’s Battery Case with Auxetic Structure

Abstract

Due to the reduction in pollutant emissions, the number of electric vehicles has experienced rapid growth in worldwide traffic. Vehicles equipped with batteries represent a greater danger of explosion and fire in the case of traffic accidents, which is why new protective systems and devices have been designed to improve impact safety. Through their design and construction, auxetic structures can ensure the efficient dissipation of impact energy, reducing the risk of battery damage and maintaining the safety of vehicle occupants. In this paper, we analyze the crashworthiness performance of a battery case equipped with an energy absorber with a particular shape based on a re-entrant auxetic model. Simulations were performed at a velocity of 10 m/s and applied to the battery case with a rigid impact pole, a configuration justified by most accidents occurring at a low velocity. The results highlight that by using auxetic structures in the construction of the battery case, the impact can be mitigated by the improved energy absorber placed around the battery case, which leads to a decrease in the number of damaged cells by up to 35.2%. In addition, the mass of the improved energy absorbers is lower than that of the base structure.

Negative poisson’s ratio behavior of Al4Li9 alloy

“…However, for a material with −1 < n < 0, often referred to as an auxetic material, it will become wider when stretched and thinner when compressed. This particular mechanical behavior will enhance toughness, improve shear resistance, and/or reduce vibration [11], making the auxetic material highly promising for applications in aircrafts [12,13], transportation vehicles and/or sound-absorbing instruments [14]. As research has progressed, negative Poisson's ratio materials have attracted attention from researchers.…”