Mechanical Testing and Finite Element Simulations for the Use of Cellular Metals as Car Seat Components

Due to the high energy absorption capacity at constant compressive stress level, cellular metals may be used as crash-energy-absorbing elements in autobody structures or car components, e.g., car seats. Modern car seats do not only have a high technical functionality, like electronic positioning, heating, and ventilation systems; in the case of a crash they must protect the passenger. The present paper deals with an analysis of potentially suitable cellular metals for integration in car seats. By means of different quasi-static tests, i.e., compression, tensile, shear, and bending testing of several candidate metal foams and foam sandwich structures, the general material properties, the damage behavior and the reproducibility of mechanical data are tested. The results, which include optical 3D strain distribution measurements of the chosen cellular metals during quasi-static testing, are implemented in the engineering design of structural car seat components and finite element calculations to simulate the crash behavior. Objective of the work is the derivation of robust and reliable mechanical testing procedures and standards as well as an improved understanding of the damage mechanisms of cellular metals under different loading conditions to finally derive design guidelines for cellular metals.