Measurements of stiffness and geometric compatibility in front-to-side crashes 2001-06-0164
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
routinely measures the force exerted on the barrier in crash tests.
Thirty-six load cells on the face of the rigid barrier measure the
force. This study examines the load cell barrier data collected
during recent years of NCAP testing to determine how it can be used
to assess vehicle compatibility in vehicle-to-vehicle front-to-side
crashes.
The height of the center-of-force measured by the columns of
load cells is proposed as a metric for quantitatively describing
the geometric properties of the crash forces. For front-to-side
crashes, the geometric and stiffness properties of frontal
structures during the early stages of crush are applicable.
Consequently, geometric and stiffness measurements at a crush of
125 mm are presented in this paper. This paper shows the range of
the compatibility and stiffness parameters measured on cars,
pickups, vans, and multi-purpose vehicles.
Author(s):
K. Digges, A. Eigen
Affiliated:
George Washington Univ.
Pages: 5
Event:
International Technical Conference on Enhanced Safety of Vehicles
Related Topics:
Impact tests
Crashes
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