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Technical Paper

Analytical Model for Investigating Low-Speed Sideswipe Collisions

2004-03-08
2004-01-1185
Vehicle dynamics in sideswipe collisions are markedly different from other types of collisions. Sideswipe collisions are characterized by prolonged sliding contact, often with very little structural deformation. An analytical model was developed to investigate the vehicle dynamics of sideswipe collisions. The vehicles were modeled as rigid bodies, and lateral interaction between the vehicles was modeled with a linear elastic spring. This linear spring was meant to represent the combined lateral stiffness of both vehicles before significant crush develops. Longitudinal interaction between the vehicles was modeled as frictional contact. In order to validate the model, seven (7) low speed (3 - 10 kph), shallow angle (15°) sideswipe collisions were staged with instrumented vehicles. These sideswipe collisions were characterized by long contact durations (∼ 1 s) and low accelerations (< 0.4 g's). The experimental collisions were also simulated with EDSMAC.
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