The challenge

Roof crush testing is one of the mandatory certification procedures required for vehicle homologation, verifying the ability of the passenger compartment to protect occupants in the event of a rollover. Because these tests are destructive, failing the certification often requires a complete redesign of the roof structure and the manufacture of additional prototypes, resulting in significant development time and cost.
Carbon fiber composite roofs are widely used in supercars and hypercars because their progressive failure mechanisms—such as fiber fracture, matrix cracking, and delamination—allow them to absorb large amounts of energy while maintaining an exceptionally low weight.

Accurately predicting this behavior requires far more than conventional linear finite element analysis based on First Ply Failure criteria. The engineering challenge is to simulate the progressive damage evolution of composite laminates using advanced nonlinear material models capable of reproducing the complex failure mechanisms that occur during structural collapse. This also demands detailed material characterization and extensive expertise in both composite mechanics and manufacturing processes.

Our contribution

SmartCAE has supported the development of carbon fiber roof structures for high-performance sports cars, including supercars and hypercars, by performing advanced roof crush simulations for homologation.
Over the years, we have developed a robust simulation methodology based on nonlinear finite element analysis and progressive damage material models, allowing us to predict structural collapse beyond the limitations of conventional First Ply Failure approaches.
Our activities also include coordinating the experimental testing required to characterize the mechanical properties of composite laminates, ensuring that the material data used in the simulations accurately represents the manufactured components.
Throughout the project, we work closely with composite manufacturing specialists to define laminate stacking sequences that are both manufacturable and optimized for crash performance, ensuring that the final design satisfies homologation requirements while remaining compatible with production constraints.

Benefits for the client

SmartCAE’s extensive experience in composite structural design, advanced finite element simulation, and carbon fiber manufacturing enables customers to rely on a single engineering partner throughout the entire development process.
Our simulation-driven approach significantly reduces the number of physical roof crush tests required to achieve homologation by identifying the most effective laminate configurations before prototype manufacturing.
This results in shorter development cycles, lower prototype costs, reduced technical risk, and greater confidence that the final roof structure will meet both structural performance targets and regulatory certification requirements.