Kinematics of the motorcar body side deformation process during front-to-side vehicle collision and the emergence of a hazard to car occupants

Abstract

The kinematics of the process of deformation of the motorcar body side in the culminating phase of a front-to-side vehicle collision has been examined as a possible basis for analyzing and modeling the process of emergence of a hazard to car occupants during a road accident. The course of such accidents has a complex nature and their models are necessarily based on the approximation of non-linear elastoplastic characteristics of impact processes, especially during the transition from the compression phase to the restitution phase of the deformation process. For such characteristics to be obtained, a lot of experimental tests have to be carried out. This paper addresses the short-duration processes with a high degree of complexity.A front-to-side motorcar collision model has been prepared, which made it possible to analyze the process of deformation of the car body side and the emergence of a hazard and injuries to car occupants. The results of calculation of the deformation rate and range in various car body zones, velocity of the test dummy placed on driver’s seat and velocity of possible dummy’s impact against the car body side being deformed may be taken as a basis for designing effective occupant protection systems. The kinematics of the phase of vehicle contact and deformation process was modeled with taking into account results of experimental tests, including the curves characterizing the largely non-linear processes that are decisive for the deformation of the car body side. The deformation processes analyzed on these grounds showed at the same time the range of penetration of the deformed body part into the car interior, which causes a hazard to vehicle occupants. The calculation results have shown e.g. that the car body side is deformed to a depth of 0.2 m as quickly as within 0.02–0.03 s. At such a car body side deformation range, the car body part being deformed hits occupant’s body in his/her hips and pelvis area with a velocity of about 6 m/s.

Analysis of longitudinal acceleration during rapid minibus braking on various surfaces

“…The acceleration designated as part of the conducted testing can be used to assess the driver's behaviour and in accident cause analysis [17,18]. The acceleration values presented are limit values for the tested vehicle type.…”

Impact energy and the risk of injury to motorcar occupants in the front-to side vehicle collision

“…A model of the front-to-side vehicle collision was prepared in the MATLAB program and has been preliminarily presented by the authors in [37] and in Fig. 7.…”

“…The procedure of validation of the front-to-side vehicle collision model has been presented by the authors in [37]. The parametrisation and validation of the model was based on results of front-to-side vehicle crash tests (cf.…”

Road testing of lateral acceleration in urban bus

“…When considering passenger comfort affected by the vehicle's operation and exploitation, it is necessary to specify such parameters as the vehicle's technical condition, seating ergonomics, noise and temperature in the passenger space. Examples of studies can be found in papers [15][16][17][18]. Lateral acceleration is one of the parameters used to assess a driver's behaviour and the comfort of urban bus passengers.…”