Abstract
Crash analysis of vehicle structures is now an essential part of the product development process. The automaker has the responsibility to include material property characteristics in crash analysis which provide an accurate cost effective prediction with high confidence. Much of the research published to date study CAE analysis parameters in isolation and the problem is therefore identifying which are most significant in influencing crash prediction. This is an even larger task as a result of the increasing number of material grades available for us in impact structures. This paper will discuss the sensitivity of material property characteristics and CAE analysis parameters on the predicted performance of automotive steel impact structures from recent Corus research. The review will assist automakers to establish the important parameters to include in crash analysis.