The following is an excerpt.
The battery is the heart of an electric car. Therefore, maximum protection of this core component is the number-one priority for car manufacturers. Watch the video on how our research makes electric cars safer.
Fire protection is of utmost importance for the safety of electric vehicles because battery fires are hard to extinguish. Therefore, the battery casing and the surrounding crash protection system must offer maximum protection. As the electrification of the global transport sector speeds up, the industry is working hard on new solutions.
This is the backdrop of Master´s student Tameem Karim Pathan´s thesis at SIMLab NTNU. The title of his thesis is «Optimization of extruded aluminium profiles for battery tray protection in electrical cars».
Must Meet Many Requirements
In the video above, you can see how he tests an extruded profile´s ability to withstand extreme loads. The type of fracture depends on the profile´s geometry and how it looks inside, at the micro-level.
The protective components are typically made from aluminium extrusions. 
Owing to geometrical constraints and strict crash requirements, the profiles used are very complex with multiple chambers. High strength and high ductility are essential features as well. The profile´s geometry must be as simple as possible to reduce costs. At the same time, low weight is critical. Also, safety must be maintained, and the performance of the car should improve.
Numerical Simulations
Tameem Karim Pathan is designing a computer model. The model will simulate when, where, and how fracture occurs and the effects of changing the metal´s properties during production. The numerical simulations are validated by comparison with the experimental tests. The MSc student´s supervisors are Professor Odd Sture Hopperstad, Professor Tore Børvik and Researcher Miguel Costas.
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These are the main tasks of Tameem Karim Pathans MSc project:
– To perform a literature study on topology optimization of crash loaded structures
– To create a parametrized shell element model of an extruded profile used for battery tray protection
– To identify the parameters of the plasticity and fracture models based on experimental data from tensile and bending tests
– To conduct quasi-static side-impact tests to imitate a vehicle travelling sideways into a rigid roadside object like a pole
– To validate a finite element model of the profile against the experimental results
– To conduct a systematic numerical study to optimize the geometry of the extruded profile to obtain enhanced performance with a less complex geometry
