Farrington [12] suggested that “effective regulations should
promote and maximize safe transportation of lithium batteries
through [.] the elimination of unsafe circumstances”. Sahraei
et al. [13] believe that “advanced constitutive models are needed
for strength/weight optimization and safety assessments of Li-ion
batteries”. The authors performed a comprehensive structural
testing program on prismatic pouch cells with the aim to set up
a finite element model for representing the deformation behaviour
of the interacting cell components on a macro-mechanical
homogenized scale, and also on a refined meso-mechanical scale,
where individual layers of the electrodes are modelled distinctively.
In another paper [14], the same authors investigated cylindrical
cells subject to axial crushing, radial crushing (without end caps)
and radial indentation, and used numerical finite element simulations
and analytical solutions for describing the deformation
response of the cells.
The two papers by Sahraei et al. ([13,14]) were the only publications
in the open literature found by the present authors in which
the deformation behaviour of battery cells during mechanical abuse
loading was investigated and modelled. No publications could be
identified for predicting the onset of short circuits of battery cells
under mechanically loading, using finite element modelling.
In the present study, cylindrical Lithium ion cells are subjected
to various mechanical abuse tests, in order to create a crash
simulation model of the cell. The developed simulation model
allows representation of the cell deformation, and also features
a stress-based fracture criterion for predicting the load state and
location for internal short circuit onset during deformation.