Validation of a Toyota Camry Finite Element Model for Multiple Impact Configurations 2016-01-1534

A detailed finite element model of a 2012 Toyota Camry was developed by reverse engineering. The model consists of 2.25M elements representing the geometry, thicknesses, material characteristics, and connections of relevant structural, suspension, and interior components of the mid-size sedan. This paper describes the level of detail of the simulation model, the validation process, and how it performs in various crash configurations, when compared to full scale test results. Under contract with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the Center for Collision Safety and Analysis (CCSA) team at the George Mason University has developed a fleet of vehicle models which has been made publicly available. The updated model presented is the latest finite element vehicle model with a high level of detail using state of the art modeling techniques. The model has gone through a thorough validation process using test results of 10 different frontal, side, and roof crush impact configurations, including NHTSA’s small overlap oblique moving deformable barrier test. A high level of correlation of test and simulation results was achieved for all available test configurations. The objective correlation analysis tool CORA was used to describe the quality of the correlation. The model, which is available through the CCSA, is well validated and can be used for a variety of crashworthiness analyses.