Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology 30 (8) (2016) 3533~3537

www.springerlink.com/content/1738-494x(Print)/1976-3824(Online)
DOI 10.1007/s12206-016-0713-5

New methodology for light weight solutions to improve BIW structural

performance using bulk head optimization†
Rajasekaran Mohan1,*, Hariram Venkatesan1 and Subramanian Mahadevan2
1
Department of Automobile Engineering, Hindustan Institute of Technology & Science, Chennai, India
2
Department of Automobile Engineering, BS Abdur Rahman University, Chennai, India

(Manuscript Received February 29, 2016; Revised April 8, 2016; Accepted April 11, 2016)

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Abstract

Body-in-white (BIW) is the Car body with welded sheet metal parts painted in white. Automobile companies were trying to optimize
mass and improve performance with optimal mass addition. In many automotive industries many BIW designs due to aggressive mass
optimization, there is a need to have smart solutions to improve BIW structure performance with very little mass increase. In this paper, a
new technique of identifying the optimized internal reinforcements in the BIW at conceptual BIW design phase using Deign of experi-
ments and Multi-objective optimization has been investigated. The paper focus on the Bending and torsion stiffness load cases to evalu-
ate the BIW performance. Bulk head designs were designed at the major joints like A-pillar, B-pillar, C-pillar and rocker and their opti-
mal locations to improve stiffness with minimum mass increase were identified using Design of experiments and multi objective tech-
niques. The research shows that the optimized Bulk head design locations using the DOE technique has improved the overall BIW stiff-
ness performance by 3.9% with 1.2% of mass addition in the BIW.
Keywords: Design of experiments; Optimization; BIW stiffness; Multi objective; Body in white; Bending; Torsion
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been focused. The major joints in the vehicle like A-pillar, B-

1. Introduction
pillar, C-pillar and rocker regions have been considered as the
The latest automotive technology calls for a better perform- design space. The performance comparison between the start-
ance with minimal cost. Nearly 10% of mass saving on BIW up design and optimized performance design has been carried
mass can lead to 7-9% of saving on fuel consumption. Low out to verify the effectiveness of the method.
mass vehicle designs can accelerate quickly with stability and
better characteristics. Large scale production and low prices
1.1 Literature survey
makes the automobile manufacturers to mainly focus on the
cost control on the vehicles. BIW mass contribution will be in BIW structure should satisfy complex load conditions dur-
the range of 25% of the full vehicle mass. The numerical ing the operation of the vehicle under various performance
techniques for optimization on the existing design and concept conditions. BIW structure performance improving researches
designs can maximize the chances of minimizing the mass. are being performed across different parts of the globe which
Traditional approach with dependency on experience and can lead to cost effectiveness with a light weight body [1].
experiment involves many trial and error iterations. During Numerical simulations are latest trend in predicting the vehicle
mass optimization, it’s necessary to maintain the performance performance before testing. Numerical simulations helps to
targets. In many cases after achieving low mass there may be study and improve the performance of the design [2-4]. Mat-
performance drop. Engineers make aggressive attempts to teo Poerre [5] has discussed about the topology optimization
improve the performance with minimal mass increase. This of elastic structures to achieve minimum mass with compli-
paper presents a new methodology of improving the perform- ance targets. However the approach was limited to given to-
ance with minimal mass increase using the bulk heads and pology and element density contours which drives the meth-
optimization on their positions. The efficient way of using the odology. Zhou [6] has researched on the gauge sensitivity
design of experiments and multi objective optimization has study on the D-pillar region and optimizing the gauges of the
design in the local area. The method of locally organizing the
*
Corresponding author. Tel.: +91 99522 93553
elements and then optimizing the thickness have not consid-
E-mail address: raj_kar100180@yahoo.com
†
Recommended by Editor Yeon June Kang ered the part break up and connections in the region. Baskin
© KSME & Springer 2016
3534 R. Mohan et al. / Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology 30 (8) (2016) 3533~3537

[7] and Christensen [8] have explained their approach to

achieve BIW load path using topology optimization and they
have highlighted importance of the topology optimization in
concept phase [9, 10]. An approach on optimizing the BIW
parts was focussed on using the DOE and then performing
thickness distribution in the model [11, 12], similarly through
a meta model for crash analysis [13, 14]. BIW designs with
light weight solutions using the carbon fibre composites have
been numerically researched by Boeman [15] and found to Fig. 1. Initial design – material details.
achieve the improved structural performance. Park [16], Lyu
[17] and Rajasekaran et al. [18] has highlighted the signifi-
cance of using Optimal-Latin-Hypercube method with its
capability to predict minimal error as a better choice instead of
Latin-Hypercube and achieve mass savings. Also, it has been
highlighted that prediction error is minimal while using the
Optimal-Latin-hypercube method and has been suggested the
same for DOE sampling as well. Liu [19] has suggested and
explained the methodology of parameterizing the BIW and
then trying to reduce its mass.
Stochastic optimization approach has been researched to
achieve the mass reduction. DOE based optimization using
thickness as a design variable and the subsequent structural
(a)
optimization has been researched by Londhe [11]. Calvo [20]
has researched the hybrid BIW and proposed a hybrid cabin
that uses metal for front motor component and rear component.
The approach uses topology and topographic optimization
for thickness by applying Equivalent static loads to measure
the performance. Based on the literature survey, there is lot of
researches on the BIW designs have been performed. Conven-
tional topology optimizations methods [21] and thickness
optimizations has been widely researched. However, there is a
lack focus on how efficiently we can add the design enablers
like Bulk heads on the BIW and efficiently improve the BIW
performance with minimal mass increase. This paper details (b)
the new idea of using Bulkheads at important joints in the
BIW and then using DOE based multi objective optimization Fig. 2. (a) Initial design – bending stiffness analysis results; (b) initial
design – torsion stiffness analysis results.
to achieve high performance improvement with minimal mass
addition. This approach could be very helpful to engineers at
various design stages where there is stringent mass targets. tency of the vehicle. Figs. 2(a) and (b) shows the simulation
results for the stiffness analysis. Bending stiffness and torsion
2. Methodology stiffness [22, 23] is found to be 6.463 KN/mm and 10.918
KNm/deg.
2.1 Start-up BIW design performance summary

BIW design without any internal reinforcements were BIW
for the initial performance assessment. The BIW design in the
current research has multi material layout. Materials like
Aluminium, Steel, Magnesium, PA66GF, PPGF60 etc., were
used in the BIW design. Multi material concept enables the
usage of heavier and stronger materials in the major load path
and lighter materials in other close out regions in the BIW
structure. Fig. 1 shows the material summary. The initial de-
sign was analysed for the bending and torsion stiffness analy-
sis. The mass of the initial BIW was 174.7 Kgs. Optistruct
Solver was used to perform the analysis. Bending and torsion
stiffness usually defines the fundamental structural compe-
2.2 Bulk head design space technique
BIW design was identified for the critical regions like the
A-pillar, B-pillar upper, C-pillar, rear rail and rocker and Bulk
heads were designed and connected to the BIW.
In this BIW, since the front rail directly connects with the
Hinge pillar and they were made of steel material in the un-
derbody, so bulk heads were not planned as a design space
inside the hinge pillar.
The bulk head slicing technique can be expanded to all the
possible spaces inside the BIW sections. Providing more bulk
head designs in the BIW can enable the optimizer to have
 R. Mohan et al. / Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology 30 (8) (2016) 3533~3537 3535

Table 1. Design of experiments sampling table.

Design

BH10
BH11
BH12
BH13
BH14
BH15
BH16
BH17
BH18
BH19

BH20
BH21
BH22
BH23
BH24
BH25
BH26
BH27
BH28
BH29

BH30
BH31
BH32
BH33
BH34
BH35
BH36
BH37
BH38
BH1

BH2

BH3

BH4
BH5
BH6
BH7
BH8
BH9
1 1 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1
2 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 0
3 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 1 0 0 0 0
4 1 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 0 0 1
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
110 0 1 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 1 0 0
111 0 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1
112 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 0 0 1
113 0 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 0 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 1 0 1 1 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 0
114 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 1 0 0 0 1 0 0

Fig. 4. Sensitivity plot for the bulk head designs.

Fig. 3. Initial bulk head design space.

more design variables and better performance can be achieved. 2.4 Bulk head design sensitivity analysis and multi-objective
Fig. 3 shows the bulkheads in the rocker (No. 1 to 15), Rear optimization
rail mount region (No. 16 to 25), C-pillar (No. 24 to 27), B-
pillar upper (No. 28 to 33) and A-pillar (No. 34 to 38). Bulk- Fig. 4 shows the sensitivity of the variables with respect to
heads were 1 mm thickness designs which will be a lighter both bending and torsion stiffness analysis. The bulkheads
solution of its placed in the positon of the load path. The op- location 2, 5, 6, 7, 10, 15 were sensitive bulkhead locations
tion of adding bulkheads on all the possible sections in the considering both bending and torsion stiffness analysis.
BIW is always recommended to adopt this new technique. The bulkheads position like Hinge pillar – BH2, B-pillar –
BH7, BH10 and C-pillar lower BH15 were locations predicted
from the DOE results sensitivity. BH5 and BH6 locations
2.3 Bulk head sampling and design of experiments
were found sensitive to the Bending load application area in
Bulk head deigns were considered as the design variables the rocker. In the Rear rail, BH18 and BH22 locations lined up
for the DOE sampling. In the DOE sampling, the binary digits with the rear spring mounts were identified as the sensitive
like 0 and 1 were used. A new technique was found to detect area for having an internal reinforcement.
the presence and removal of the reinforcements in the BIW by In the Roof rail the BH34, BH37 and BH38 were predicted
using DOE which has been investigated in the current re- as sensitive locations for Bending and torsion stiffness. These
search. locations were found to helpful in strengthening the A-pillar
If the value for the design variable in the DOE Sampling re- joints. BH29 and BH32 bulkheads in the B-pillar upper seems
fers to “0” then it indicates the Bulk head can be remove from to improve the overall stiffness of the BIW. BH25 and BH27
the BIW. Similarly “1” refers to the presence of the Bulk head were the sensitive locations in the C-pillar for which can im-
in the BIW for the specific design. Design of experiments prove the torsion stiffness for the BIW design.
table was generated using Optimal latin hypercube method. The Fig. 5 shows the sensitive and low sensitive BH loca-
Since there is 38 bulk heads in the BIW nearly 114 design tions in the overall BIW design of the vehicle. The Bulkhead
samplings were generated with 3n consideration. Table 1 locations were clearly found strengthening the BIW joints in
shows the design samples generated considering all the design A-pillar, B-pillar, C-pillar and rocker. This methodology can
variables. Simulations were performed for all the designs for be effectively used to identify the sensitive load path locations
Bending and torsion analysis and their stiffness were tabulated. for any BIW. Even if there is local strengthening requirements
The total mass of the Bulk heads that were used as the design in the BIW joints, this method can be used to quickly identify
space is 3.863 Kg. the internal stiffener locations.
3536 R. Mohan et al. / Journal of Mechanical Science and Technology 30 (8) (2016) 3533~3537
Fig. 5. Sensitivity plot for the bulk head designs.
(a)
(b)
Fig. 6. (a) Bending stiffness results of the optimized bulk head; (b)
torsion stiffness results of the optimized bulk head.
2.5 Multi-objective optimization and Bulk head locations
validation using FE analysis
Multi objective optimization problem was setup with an ob-
jective to minimize the number of Bulkheads and minimize
compliance for the Bending and torsion stiffness analysis. The
constraints in the optimization were set to achieve a minimum
number of bulkheads with displacement constraints. Opti-
mized Bulk head locations were predicted to be in-line with
the DOE sensitivity results. The Bulk heads were retained as
per the Optimization results and the optimized design has been
created.
Finite element analysis were performed on the optimized
bulk heads locations design. Figs. 6(a) and (b) show the FEA
results for optimized design. FEA results for bending stiffness
and torsion stiffness for the optimized locations is 6.712 KN
and 11.34 KNm/deg. BIW design with optimized Bulkhead
locations has a mass of 176.8 Kgs.
3. Conclusions
The new methodology of using Bulkheads by finding out
their optimum locations in the BIW has shown significant
structural stiffness improvement with minimal mass increase.
With the given design variable of Bulkheads, the DOE results
have shown optimum locations and increased structural per-
formance. The effective Bulkhead locations were identified
from the sensitivity charts and the remaining bulkheads with
less sensitivity were removed from BIW. Based on this tech-
nique, bending stiffness values improved from to 6.463 KN/mm
to 6.712 KN/mm and the torsion stiffness increased form the
10.918 KNm/deg to 11.34 KNm/deg. As compared to the
initial BIW mass of 174.7 Kg, the mass of improved stiffness
performance BIW is 176.8 Kg.
The research technique has increased the BIW performance
by 3.9% for both Bending and torsion stiffness with a mass
addition of only 1.2%. Considering the design space Bulk
head mass of 3.863 Kg, the final optimized bulk head mass is
1.466 kgs. The mass saving in the Bulk head design space is
2.397 Kg and nearly 62% of the Bulk head design space mass
saving has been achieved. So, this methodology is highly effi-
cient to improve the performance of the BIW. This methodol-
ogy has shown the efficient way to improve the A-pillar, B-
pillar, C-pillar and rocker region joint stiffness. In the current
research, B-pillar region can optimized for its performance
using the methodology described in the paper considering the
side impact load cases and it could improve the BIW perform-
ance. Further scope of this work is to optimize the BIW using
3G optimization to achieve further low mass BIW. This tech-
nique can be widely used across multiple disciplines.
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Rajasekaran Mohan is a Ph.D. scholar
in Hindustan Institute of Technology
and Science, received M.E. (Computer
Aided Design) from Anna University,
Chennai, and Graduated B.E. (Mecha-
nical) from University of Madras,
Chennai. He has 12 years of experience
in the CAE, Vehicle Body Simulations
and Optimizations for Crash and NVH. He has expertise in the
Car Body load path design, study and performance optimi-
zations.
Hariram Venkatesan is an Associate
Professor in Automobile Engineering
Department at Hindustan Institute of
Technology and Science, received Ph.D.
from Anna University, Chennai, M.E.
(Automobile Engineering) from Anna
University and Graduated BE (Mecha-
nical) from University. He has 10 years
of experience in the Biofuel, Automotive engines, Alternate
fuels, Bio-Mechanics, Simulation, Re-engineering, Combus-
tion and Automotive Instrumentation and Vehicle Body De-
sign/Engineering. He has nearly 39 Publications in SCOUPUS
indexed Journals. He is currently guiding more than 4 Ph.D.
scholars in the field of Automotive and Mechanical Engineer-
ing.