Cross-sectional shape design of automobile structure considering rigidity and driver's field of view

Thin-walled beam structure can be used to efficiently predict the performances of automobile frame for conceptual design. However, it is an open issue to acquire an accurate cross-sectional shape of A-pillar structure considering both rigidity and driver's field of view (DFOV). This paper proposes an approach to calculate the cross-sectional rigidity and DFOV. Firstly, formulations of cross-sectional properties, including open, single-cell, double-cell, three-cell, four-cell section, are summarized. Secondly, the obstruction angle is introduced to describe DFOV, which is acquired by a nonlinear optimization model. Finally, a A-pillar example of Toyota RAV4, solved by the developed software - CarFrame, proves that the proposed method can be completely applied at the conceptual design of the automobile structure.