ISBN-13: 978-1539045540

Proceedings of ICEEM-2016-Chennai

CRASH IMPACT ATTENUATOR (CIA) FOR AUTOMOBILES WITH THE

ADVOCATION OF MECHATRONIC SYSTEMS
[1]M.ASHWIN, [2] BHUVANESWARAN P, [3] VARUN.C
[1]SRM EASWARI ENGINEERING COLLEGE, [2] PANIMALAR INSTITUTE OF
TECHNOLOGY, [3] PANIMALAR ENGINEERING COLLEGE.
[1]ashwinmurali@outlook.com, [2] iambhuvan@outlook.com, [3]varuncharavanan14@gmail.com.
focuses on accident prevention. These systems are

ABSTRACT

automatically controlled through electronic systems. In

For the past two decades there has been an upsurge in the

reality these systems are not completely effective in

road accidents due to car crashes. Nearly 1.3 million

averting accidents. Accident prevention systems can just

people die in car crashes each year, on average 3,287

warn the driver or apply brakes automatically before a

deaths a day. Even though there is so much of

crash which cannot stop a high speed approaching

developments in the field of automobile there is no

vehicle. So it is better to absorb the impact of the crash

sophisticated system for securing the vehicle as well as

then trying to prevent it.

its passengers during the crash. There are some existing

concept of collision impact absorption aided by an

electronic systems for preventing the crashes but they are

electronic system incorporating cloud computation. The

not completely reliable so it is better to absorb the crash

main idea is to develop

impact than trying to prevent it. So in this project we are

energy management effectiveness of the primary crush

absorbs the crash impact force when two cars collide.

zone of a vehicle. While protecting a vehicle's occupants

Rubber attached bracket and torsion bar constitute the

from injury in a crash is a challenge for every vehicle

crash absorption system. This system is controlled by

manufacturer, in the case of a small, lightweight car , it is

programmed microcontroller which makes this system

a particular challenge, due in part to the limited ability of

function able only at the time of accident. Ultrasound

small cars to absorb collision energy, and the relative

sensors and infrared sensors assist in increasing the

short crush distance which is a major factor in providing

efficiency of the system. Hence we propose that this

a ride-down or deceleration distance for the vehicle

system can reduce the effects of crash and has the

occupants. In a conventio33nal steel-bodied vehicle, the

potential to save human lives.

ultrasound

a lightweight, extremely

effective energy absorption system for improving the

introducing a crash absorption system which completely

Keywords:

So this paper targets the

body panels are shaped and reinforced to form crush or

sensor,

bracket,

crumple zones that are designed to absorb collision

microcontroller and crash absorption.

energy while protecting the passenger compartment or

so-called occupant interior cage. Smaller, lighter weight

INTRODUCTION

cars offer particular challenges to engineers to provide

adequate crash energy absorption. Efforts to improve

Road accidents have been increasing at an enormous rate

passenger compartment protection typically add weight

since the development of vehicles. In the past three

to the vehicle and thus adversely affect fuel economy.

decades car accidents have been responsible most of the

accidents. Car accidents are very much destructive, they

LITRATURE REVIEW

cause damage to car body resulting in huge loss at the

same time they can also claim human lives depending

Kenji Fujita invention objective was to provide an

upon the intensity of the accidents. Accidents are the

automatic drive system to a car which can recognize the

prime concern for most of the automobile companies.

surrounding and react in accordance to that of a path

Many systems have been developed which mainly

ahead of the car, such as a camera, and a transmitter. On

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ISBN-13: 978-1539045540

Proceedings of ICEEM-2016-Chennai

the basis of the driving situation of the car, which is

deploys the safety cover according to the operation of the

identified on the basis of conditions recognized by the

sensing unit. The sensing unit comprises a receiver and a

control system, a control scheduling means selects at

connection bar connecting the receiver to the driving

least one among multiple of control programs. Car

unit, while the driving unit comprises a bursting part

control is provide to braking system and a steering

operated by the connection bar, and a deploying part

system, automatically controlled with the most effective

deploying the safety cover according to the operation of

control program to drive the car so as to avoid a possible

the bursting part. Since the accident prevention apparatus

crash against an obstruction in the way ahead of the car

is built in a main body of a driving unit when not in use

and promptly deploys a safety cover upon a collision

Jan Willem Vermeulen et al., invented a Part that can be

fixed

accident in accordance with the car speed and efficiently

to the front part of automobile, consists of a

supporting

captures the hit pedestrian, safety of the collision victim

construction which is assembled from

is greatly improved. Also, chain collision by following

various parts manufactured from different metal plate

cars and other sequential accidents can be prevented.

material and provided with attachments for fixing the

guard to the vehicle, a plastic cover element is separately

ROAD ACCIDENTS STATISTICS:

covering the sides of each profile part facing away from

automobile, and the connecting members connect the

Nearly 1.3 million people die in road crashes each year,

cover element to support the construction, and between

on average 3,287 deaths a day. An additional 20-50

the profile parts of the supporting construction and the

million are injured or disabled. More than half of all road

cover element free space is present and the cover element

traffic deaths occur among young adults ages 15-44.

is deformable plastic

Road traffic crashes rank as the 9th leading cause of

death and account for 2.2% of all deaths globally. Road

Bruce Leigh Kiehne designed a vehicle with an accident

crashes are the leading cause of death among young

prevention system. The vehicle has conventional foot

people ages 15-29, and the second leading cause of death

brake for halting the vehicle. The system includes a

worldwide among young people ages 5-14. Each year

sensor system for sensing an object behind the vehicle

nearly 400,000 people under 25 die on the world's roads,

that generates an object identification signal when it

on average over 1,000 a day. Over 90% of all road

senses an object within range behind the vehicle. The

fatalities occur in low and middle-income countries,

sensor arrangement is inclusive of passive IR sensors or

which have less than half of the world's vehicles. Road

reflected pulse sensors such as sonar or radar sensors on

crashes cost USD $518 billion globally, costing

the end. A controller creates an accident prevention

individual countries from 1-2% of their annual GDP.

response signal on receiving the data that is object

Road crashes cost low and middle-income countries USD

recognition signal from the sensor system. A brake

$65 billion annually, exceeding the total amount received

applying mechanism is parallely coupled to the brake to

in developmental assistance. Unless action is taken, road

stop the vehicle when the controller generates a response

traffic injuries are predicted to become the fifth leading

signal. Conveniently the system comes with an alarm

cause of death by 2030.

signal. A method to prevent accident whenever a vehicle

is reversing the problem of collision with a person is also
dealt with.
Hyoung Pyo Hong patented an accident prevention
apparatus for a car is disclosed, which is provided at a
front of a car to protect a hit pedestrian by deploying a
safety cover upon collision with the pedestrian. The
accident prevention apparatus comprises a sensing unit
which detects a collision impact, and a driving unit which

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ISBN-13: 978-1539045540

Proceedings of ICEEM-2016-Chennai

The crash absorption system consists of pneumatic

COMPONENTS:

circuit consisting of a compressor, reservoir, FRL unit,

ACCIDENT PREDICTION SYSTEM

5/2 valve and a cylinder placed adjacent to the car

chassis. The compressor compresses atmospheric air and
then sends it to the reservoir. From the reservoir air
enters the cylinder through a solenoid controlled 5/2
valve. The functioning of the solenoid valve and its
actuation time is pre-programmed in the microcontroller.
Fig1: ULTRASOUND SENSOSR

FRL unit regulates the process and assist in proper

functioning of the pneumatic system. The cylinder is
attached to the chassis by an U-clamp. To the U-clamp
the cylinder is welded horizontally. The piston pushes
and pulls back a shock energy absorber. The shock
energy absorber is the main crash absorbing component
of the system. The shock energy absorber is made up of
RZ5 magnesium alloy as it is light in weight and has
good strength for withstanding impact loads. The shock
energy absorber contains torsion bar, which acts as the
shock absorbing component. In addition to the torsion

Fig2: DB9 CABLE

bar a thick layer of rubber is placed between the shock

The crash prediction system consists of ultrasound

energy absorber for damping the vibrations. Another

sensors for measuring the distance between the driving

layer of rubber is placed on the curved portion of the

vehicle and the approaching vehicle. The ultrasound

shock energy absorber where the first impact happens.

sensors are placed on all the 4 sides of a car for getting a

The shock energy absorber pivots on a shaft which is

complete 360 degree view of the surroundings. An OBD

attached to the car chassis. This RZ5 magnesium alloy

is utilized for providing speed data. CAN BUS and DB9

shaft also helps in holding the torsion bar firmly. Its

cables are used for data transmission from OBD. A

composition is zinc rare earth metals and zirconium.

microcontroller is placed near the OBD which collects all

DESIGN OF TORSION BAR

the data, processes the information and decides whether

or not to activate the system.

The Torsion bar was designed in catia V5 and analysed

in ANSYS Workbench V 15.0. Torsion bars of various

CRASH ABSORPTION SYSTEM

diameters were designed and analysed by trial and error

method. Since there are two torsion bars used in the
system the load gets divided into two. Considering a
maximum impact from a car approaching at 60km/hr
900KN-m moment was applied on the torsion bar. The
torsion bar was found to be safe for a diameter of 60mm
and the factor of safety was obtained as 1. Material that
was used for torsion bar is AISI 4140.
Mechanical properties of AISI 4140 for a section of
60mm are

Fig3 TORSION BAR

Yield Strength= 770Mpa

Tensile Strength= 930Mpa

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ISBN-13: 978-1539045540

Proceedings of ICEEM-2016-Chennai

Elongation=17%

SPECIFICATIAONS

Impact Izod= 90J

Ultra sound sensor-Hc-sr04

Hardness= 275 HB

Working voltage DC 5 v
Working current 15mA
Working frequency: 40 Hz
Max range 4 m
Min range 2 m

Fig 4 Design of torsion bar with the fixed support

Measuring angle 15 degrees
Trigger input signal: 10 micro seconds TTL pulse
Echo output signal input TTL lever signal and range in
position
Dimensions 45*20*15
Fig 5 Moment is applied on the torsion bar

Hardware used - Intel Edison

Intel atom dual core
Processor 500 mhz
Ram 1Gb DDR3
Rom eMMC 4Gb flash

Fig 6 Total deformation

Bluetooth 4.0 Wifi

On-board diagnostics (OBD) is an device used for self
diagnostic and problem identification in an automobile.

WORKING:
Fig 7 Equivalent Stress
ACCIDENT PREDICTION SYSTEM
On board diagnostic (OBD) is used to transmit the speed
of the vehicles to microcontroller. OBD is present in
almost every car to get access to the status of vehicle
subsystems. From the OBD various parameters can be
obtained , upto 16 data like speed, temperature etc. from

Fig 8 Strain Energy

various sensors.

In this system it works on cloud

principle. Every vehicles speed is sent to the cloud from

the OBD where it is shared to the other vehicles OBD.
The OBD gets the speed of every approaching vehicle
and transmits it to the microcontroller along with the own
vehicle speed. A CAN BUS is utilized to connect the
Fig 9 Safety Factor

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microcontroller and the OBD for effective data

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IIRDEM 2016

ISBN-13: 978-1539045540

Proceedings of ICEEM-2016-Chennai

transmission between them. The data from CAN BUS is

predicted. In this way the car can be secured during a

transferred through a DB9 cable to the microcontroller.

crash and damage to body as well as the passengers can

Simultaneously the ultrasound sensor calculates the

be prevented with less damage on the shock energy

distance between the approaching vehicle and the driving

absorber.

vehicle to the microcontroller. Once the microcontroller

gets all three data, it substitutes it in the condition

DESIGN AND ANALYSIS

programmed. When the condition gets satisfied the crash

The design was done using catia V5. The assembly view

absorption system gets activated. The microcontroller

consists of the crash energy absorber and the pneumatic

supplies current to the pump from the battery.

circuit.

BLOCK DIAGRAM

Fig11: ISOMETRIC VIEW 1

Fig 10: Block Diagram

CRASH ABSORPTION SYSTEM

The reservoir is filled by the compressor and it is
constantly

checked

for

pressure

loss

by

the

microcontroller. When the sensors sense crash, the

microcontroller activates the crash absorption system The

Fig12: ISOMETRIC VIEW 2

air from the reservoir enters the cylinder and inturn it

pushes the shock energy absorber. The shock energy
absorber rotates on a pivoting shaft and comes protruding
out of the car for a distance of 18cm. So that the first
impact of the colliding car is on the crash bar. The first
impact area is completely made up of thick rubber, which
absorbs most of the impact load. The shock energy
absorber contains high performance torsion bar for
absorbing the crash energy. So when a car hits the shock
energy absorber bar, it compresses due to the rotation of
torsion bar. Finally the rotation of torsion bar is damped
Fig13: ISOMETRIC VIEW 3

by another set of thick rubber which completely

eradicates the crash energy from reaching the car body.
The shock energy absorber looks as a car skirt until it
operates and comes into position once a crash is

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IIRDEM 2016

ISBN-13: 978-1539045540

Proceedings of ICEEM-2016-Chennai

[4]

DESIGN

OF

MACHINE

ELEMENTS

by

RS.KHURMI from S.CHAND PUBLICATIONS.

[5] DESIGN DATA: P.S.G DESIGN DATABOOK OF

ENGINEERS from kalaikathir atchagam..

[6] springipedia.com/material-springmaterials.asp
Fig14: TOTAL DEFORMATION 1

[7]www.engineersedge.com/spring_general.htm

Fig15: TOTAL DEFORMATION 2

CONCLUSION

Thus we have designed a crash safety system

which is especially for four wheeled vehicles.
This safety system will be very effective in
any road conditions. It has the potential to
minimise the effect of crashes and it can
prevent car body from getting damaged. Apart
from that it can protect the passengers even
during high speed head on collisions. It can be
installed in any cars. So we hope it has the
potential to save human lives.
REFERENCE:
[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/
[2] https://patents.google.com/

Bumper protecting

device for damping and absorbing impact in collision for

vehicle
[3] https://patents.google.com/

Device for new car

anticollision energy-absorbing

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IIRDEM 2016