Automotive rail/frame energy management system

An impact distortion reduction system, comprising:

• (a) a frame rail suitable for use as a structural member in an automotive vehicle, said frame rail having an exposed surface portion;
• (b) at least one member, including a plurality of notches for defining triggers, and being fixedly adhered to said exposed surface portion of said frame rail;
• and
• (c) a thermally activatable foamable polymeric reinforcing material for managing impact energy disposed over at least a portion of said member and which bonds to said frame rail after thermal activation and expansion.

A reinforcement system for an automotive vehicle, comprising:

• an automotive vehicle structure selected from a frame rail or a pillar;
• a molded polymeric member having a first arcuate surface on a first side and a second arcuate surface on an opposing second side and a plurality of geometric step changes including a first of the plurality of step changes located adjacent to the first side and a second of the plurality of step changes located adjacent the second side, wherein the molded polymeric member is configured for insertion into a cavity of an automotive vehicle structural member and wherein the first of the plurality of step changes and the second of the plurality of step changes are each selected from the group of a notch or a cut-away section;
• an expandable heat activated material applied to one or more surfaces of the molded polymeric member;
• and
• wherein i) the molded polymeric member is shaped to correspond to the cavity of the vehicle structural member, ii) the expandable heat activated material upon being activated secures the molded polymeric member to the corresponding structural member, and iii) the geometric step changes act to create stress risers to cause opposing localized bending modes in the automotive vehicle structure for assisting in maximizing axial collapse.