Application of bionic rocker panel reinforcement to enhance vehicle pole side impact crashworthinessCommunicated by Francisco Silva

Bionic tubes have illustrated superior crashworthiness performance, making them outstanding crashworthiness reinforcement candidates in vehicle structures. This study proposes an innovative design process using a bionic rocker panel reinforcement (BRPR) inspired by the shrimp chela to improve vehicle crashworthiness. A base pole side impact numerical model is created based on a validated Yaris finite element model from NCAC. The crashworthiness characteristics of the base numerical model, hollow thin-walled reinforcement model, multi-cell rocker panel reinforcement (MRPR) model, and BRPR model with various shrimp chela arrangements are compared to assess their crashworthiness response. A complex proportional assessment (COPRAS) methodology is employed to select the reinforcement structure with the minimum intrusion, acceleration and mass as well as the highest energy absorption. , suggesting that the BRPR structure demonstrates superior crashworthiness capacities. A multi-objective optimization method based on response surfaces methodology and Optimal Latin Hypercube design is then proposed to extract the optimal design, revealing that the optimal BRPR structure illustrates a 25.39% lower intrusion of the door inner panel, a 15.90% lower intrusion of the rocker panel and an 847.27% higher energy absorption than the base pole numerical model. This design process demonstrates that bionic structures, like BRPR structures, can be created and optimized practically and systematically, providing life-saving opportunities in side impact collisions.