The influences of the residual forming data on the quasi-static axial crash response of a top-hat section

In this paper the influences of residual effects of a deep drawing forming process on the axial quasi-static crash behaviour of straight thin-walled top-hat section were numerically investigated. The residual forming data on the plastic strains, residual stresses and thickness variations were transferred to crash models, which include both deformed and nominal meshes. The influence of spring-back or spring-in on crash performance of the member was also considered. Numerical simulations were carried out by using the nonlinear finite element code LS-DYNA. As a result of these analyses it appears that the residual forming data and the effects of spring-back significantly influence the crash response and they should be considered in computational impact simulations.