New Optimization Strategies for Crash Design

This contribution deals with optimization strategies for the crash design. After a short introduction of the mathematical background, the optimization algorithms, and current software systems, special approaches are presented. The first important strategy is the handling of the scattering of the influence variables. A corresponding optimization example is discussed. In order to come to totally new and better designs, effective possibilities for geometry model changings are necessary. Here, the methods for shape optimization are discussed. For the difficult part of topology optimization of crash structures two approaches are presented. The first method is to add or replace parts of the structure using a model library. The second method is based on introducing openings resp. holes in the structure. This paper gives an overview of applications of the optimization strategies and gives an outlook for the next years.