Numerical Studies on Crashworthiness of Layered Sorbothane–Steel Bumper Beam for Passenger Car

A bumper beam is the front and rear structural component of a vehicle designed to absorb energy during low‐velocity impacts, which occur mostly during frontal collisions. Improvements in designs are based on the selection of new materials to enhance crashworthiness, reduce mass, and improve esthetics. This study explores a layered steel and Sorbothane material construction as an alternative to the existing hollow steel bumper filled with functionally graded foam. Three‐point bending impact simulations are conducted using Ansys LS‐DYNA. The specific energy absorption (SEA) for the present design is 3.613 kJ/kg, compared to 2.828 kJ/kg for the existing design, representing an increase of 27.76%. The study includes the choice of stacking sequence, cross‐section, and radius of curvature of the beam for higher SEA and deflection at low stress. The hollow rectangular cross‐section exclusively considered in this work is found to provide better crashworthiness properties compared to the existing type and its modified version. It is found that an increase in the radius of curvature results in a decrease in SEA and an increase in stress. In other words, the curved beam performs better than the straight one.