Damage Characterization of Automotive Stiffened Panels due to Rock Impact

Description

This dataset contains numerical simulation data generated to evaluate the structural response and energy-absorption performance of a stiffened AA6061-T6 aluminium vehicle door panel under lateral rockfall impact. The simulations represent a rockfall release height of approximately 86.5 m on terrain inclined at 60°. The dataset covers three projectile materials—granite, limestone, and concrete—selected to investigate how differences in density and stiffness affect the response of the door-panel assembly. The reported results include plastic strain, deformation, stress distribution, and energy-transfer and absorption characteristics for the investigated impact cases.

Steps to reproduce

1. **Create the door-panel geometry:** Model the aluminium vehicle door panel and reinforce it with an orthogonal arrangement of filleted stiffeners. Assign AA6061-T6 aluminium to both the panel and stiffeners. 2. **Determine the impact conditions:** Calculate the rockfall impact velocity using the selected release height, terrain slope, and the normal and tangential coefficients of restitution. Account for energy dissipation during the bouncing, rolling, and sliding phases. 3. **Model the rock projectiles:** Create spherical projectiles of the selected sizes and assign the material properties of granite, limestone, and concrete. Prepare a separate simulation for each combination of projectile size and material. 4. **Set up and run the numerical model:** Import the geometries into ANSYS Explicit Dynamics and use a Lagrangian formulation. Define contact between the projectile and panel, constrain the panel edges, apply the Johnson–Cook material and failure models, perform a mesh-sensitivity study, and prescribe the calculated impact velocity. 5. **Post-process the results:** Extract and compare panel deformation, equivalent plastic strain, von Mises stress, and energy histories for all impact cases. Use consistent time intervals and contour views to evaluate the effects of projectile material and size on structural integrity and energy absorption.

Institutions

• Manipal Academy of Higher Education

  Karnataka, Manipal

Categories

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