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In order to reduce automobile body weight and improve crashworthiness, the use of high-strength steels has increased greatly in recent years. An optimal combination of both crash safety performance and lightweight structure has been a major challenge in automobile body engineering. In this study, the Cockcroft-Latham fracture criterion was applied to predict the fracture of high-strength steels. Marciniak-type biaxial stretching tests for high-strength steels were performed to measure the material constant of the Cockcroft-Latham fracture criterion. Furthermore, in order to improve the simulation accuracy, local anisotropic parameters based on the plastic strain (strain dependent model of anisotropy) were measured using the digital image grid method and were incorporated into Hill's anisotropic yield condition by the authors. In order to confirm the validity of the Cockcroft-Latham fracture criterion, uniaxial tensile tests were performed.

In order to improve the capability of frontal or rear automotive members to absorb impact energy, a basic study was performed to evaluate the effect of strength, micro-structure, and plate thickness on dynamic deformation phenomena using tensile specimens and hat square columns. Tensile strengths of the materials were selected from 340 to 1180 MPa class steels. Five kinds of micro-structure, Ferrite, Ferrite + Bainite, Ferrite + Martensite, Ferrite + Pearlite, Ferrite + Bainite + γ, and Martensite, were investigated. Tensile tests were carried out under strain rates from 10-1 to 103 /sec. and crash tests of hat square columns were conducted under test speeds from 0.1 to 14.0 m/sec.

Initiation and propagation of ductile fractures in crashed automotive components made from high strength steels are investigated in order to understand the mechanism of fracture propagation. Fracture of these components is often prone to occur at the sheet edge in a strain concentration zone under crash deformation. The fracture then extends intricately to the inside of the structure under the influence of the local stress and strain field. In this study, a simple tensile test and a 3-point bending test of high strength steels with tensile strengths of 590 MPa and 1180 MPa are carried out. In the tensile test, a coupon having a hole and a notch is deformed in a uniaxial condition. The effect of the notch type on the strain concentration and fracture behavior are investigated by using a digital imaging strain measurement system.

In order to evaluate the crashworthiness of impact energy absorbing parts for automobiles, it is very important to obtain accurate stress-strain (s-s) relationships for steel sheets under various strain rates. However, at high strain rates over 10/s, stress wave interference in the load cell obstructs precise measurement of the s-s relationship with conventional tensile testing equipment. Various new tensile testing machines have been developed to obtain accurate s-s relationships at high strain rates. Six of these machines (coaxial Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar method, Non-coaxial Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar method, One Bar method, Sensing Block Testing System, and two types using the Hydraulic Servo method) were used to obtain s-s relationships for high strength steel sheets. In this paper, the s-s relationships are compared and the characteristic of the curves was discussed.

New highly ductile AHSS steel grades with tensile strength greater than 980 MPa have been developed with the aim of combining high strength and excellent formability. The new jetQ-Family offers high local and global ductility while still fulfilling standards for resistance towards hydrogen embrittlement and weldability. These improved properties are based on their specifically engineered microstructure, which utilize the TRIP-mechanism in a strengthened matrix. This work shows how the microstructure plays a significant role for the tensile testing as well as hole-expansion. Based on the increased yield strength a better crash performance compared to conventional DP steel grades can be attained. The local ductility is demonstrated with excellent hole expansion ratios and high resistance to sheared edge failure. In combination with improved bending angles and thickness strain at fracture a robust process for manufacturing of components can be achieved.