Objectives

• Introduce crashworthiness concepts

Crash Safety • Describe common impact configurations
• Identify the structures and systems involved
in crashworthiness
Rob Thomson
Crash Safety Division
Machine and Vehicle Systems

Two Types of Safety Inertia

• Active Safety • Moving objects remain moving until an external
– Control of vehicle systems to prevent collisions force acts on the object
• Anti-lock brakes, dynamic stability control, adaptive • Vehicles colliding
cruise control, …
• Cargo in colliding vehicles
• Occupants in colliding vehicles
• Passive Safety
– Minimise or prevent injuries during a crash
situation
• Seatbelts, energy absorbing structures, airbags

Complications Initial Speed 56 km/h

• Acceleration/inertial injuries are not the

only source of injuries 20
A ccel era ti on [g]

• Contact injuries are often the most severe

– Contact with interior (unbelted occupant)
10
– Intrusion of interior
– Contact with external objects
2

5 10 15

S top p i ng D is ta nce [m ]

1
 Human Response Types of Injury Mechanisms

Increasing Acceleration

Increasing duration

Safest

Crash Pulse Crash Protection

30 20
• Three Impacts
15 – Car-to-object
Acceleration [g]

Velocity [m/s]

20
– Occupant to car
10
∆V – Internal organs within body
10
5

0 0
0 0.1 0.2 0.3
Time [s]

Intrusion to Passenger Area Passenger Position During Impact

Driver: Female Passenger 17 yr male

Intrusion

2

Impact Configuration
• What directions are vehicles loaded
– 1999 FARS approx 44 000 accidents
2 9 %
% 11
4 % 55%
8
% %
2 7 %
Engineering Design
• Define Objectives
• Identify design variables
• Identify constraints
Frontal impacts
• Generally a large crush space
• Higher speed impacts – more energy to
control
• Protection by structure collapse and
occupant restraint systems working together
Three Principle Impact
Directions
• Front Impact
– Most frequent collision
% • Side Impact
– Highest risk of fatality
• Rear Impact
– Highest risk for injury
Protection
• To protect the occupant we need to know the
injury mechanisms relevant to the impact
direction
• Frontal impacts: Acceleration loads, contact with
surfaces in forward of the seat, intrusion
• Side Impact: Intrusion of side structures, head
contact with external objects
• Rear impact: neck injuries due to relative head
motions between the head and torso
Front Impact
3
Basic Vehicle Structures Crash Design
• Energy to be absorbed
lar 2
• Kinetic Energy E = mV
Pil
A-

Fire W
all
2
l
udina
Lateral Longit
Connec Upper • Absorbed in vehicle deformation
tion l
Tunne Sill
l
udina
Longit
Lower
kx 2
• E=Fd E=
2

Vehicle Stiffness Example

800
K=1 MN/m 1995 Chevrolet Lumina (MPV)
1995Chevrolet S10 (Light Pickup)
• Simulate a restrained occupant in a frontal
600
1996 Dodge Caravan (MPV)
1995 Ford Explorer (SUV)
1997 Honda Accord (PV)
vehicle impact
Force [kN]

• Assume full frontal impact

400

200

0
0 200 400 600 800 1000
Displacement [mm]

Crash Response Crash Response

20
0.9 Passenger
0.8 Passenger 15 Car
0.7 Car
10
Displacement [m]

Velocity [m/s]

0.6
0.5 5
0.4
0
0.3
0 0.02 0.04 0.06 0.08 0.1 0.12 0.14
0.2 -5
0.1
-10
0
0 0.02 0.04 0.06 0.08 0.1 0.12 0.14
-15
Time [s]
Time [s]

4
 Crash Response Possible Deflection Modes
Inter-weld buckling
0
0 0.1
-10

-20
Acceleration [g]

-30

-40
F Local Buckling
-50

Passenger
-60 Buckling of
Car whole section
-70
Time [s] Yield or Crush
of Entire Section

Idealised Structure Actual Structures

Force

time

Vehicle Incompatibility Structural Deformation Modes

V

1: Combination of 2: Rotation
mechanisms Mechanism
Motor

Motor Motor

5
 Thin Walled Sections Relevant Crash Test
• Advantages • Europe
– Light efficient structures – 96/79/EC: 56 km/h, 40% offset
– flexible geometry – Euro-NCAP: 64 km/h 40% offset
– suitable for mass production processes • USA
• Disadvantage – FMVSS 208: suite of rigid barrier impacts 32-
– Susceptible to local effects 50 km/h (Belted and Unbelted configurations)
• loads/cracks – NCAP 56 km/h rigid barrier impact
• Fatigue

Crash Test Configurations Protection In Frontal Impacts

North America • Reduce Crash Loads: Vehicle Structures
50 km/h
Rigid Barrier • Avoid Intrusion: Vehicle Structures
• Keep occupant tied to vehicle: Seatbelt
• Protect extremities: Airbags, knee bolsters
Europe
56 km/h
40% offset
Deformable Barrier

Vehicle Deformation Distance Side Impacts

• No protection space between occupant and
collision object
• Protection primarily achieved by padding
the occupant against intruding structures
• Side structures are difficult to strengthen

6
 Side Impact Frame Elements

Bending - Tensile Mechanisms

Vehicle Side

Impacting Vehicle

Side Impact Geometry Protection Systems

7
 Protection Systems 96/27/EC

Side impact test Side Impact: Protection

FMVSS214 Occupant protection test at 33.5 MPH

• Reduce Intrusion: Side Impact Structures

• Reduce Occupant Contact Against Interior:
Airbags / Side Curtains

Rear Impact Rear Impacts

• Injuries start at lower violence levels
• Strong interaction between occupant and
seat
• Collapsing of rear frame must not
compromise fuel tank

8
 Protection Systems Crash Tests
• Europe: No current test
• USA: FMVSS 301 – Fuel system protection
system

Other Safety Issues

• Pedestrian Safety

Pedestrian Impacts Summary

• Front Impacts: Use the front of the vehicle to
absorb energy, restrain the occupant
• Side Impacts: Try to avoid intrusion, cushion the
occupant
• Rear Impact: Use the seat to support the occupant
• Pedestrians – Don’t Hit Them
• Rollover: Active Safety Systems – Vehicle
Minivan
Dynamics