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Recent years have seen remarkable advances in the development and diffusion of numerical analysis techniques using the finite element method for examining vehicle crashworthiness. The importance of numerical analysis in vehicle development work has also increased. One reason for this is that the use of numerical analysis makes it possible to study crash phenomena in detail based on calculated data which can not be obtained experimentally. In this study, the non-linear dynamic finite element program PAM-CRASH was applied to a vehicle frontal crash simulation to calculate the body deformation modes, the force transmitted at different sections of the body structure and the internal energy accumulation of each component. The results obtained provide a quantitative explanation of the deformation mechanism of the body structure.

On March 26, 2004, a fatal accident occurred when the head of a 6-year-old child was trapped in a large revolving door in a high-rise building in Tokyo. To investigate the cause of the accident, Prof. Yotaro Hatamura, representing Hatamura Institute for the Advancement of Technology, gathered experts in various fields including architecture and door manufacture, and initiated the “Door Project,” with the cooperation of the building company. Nissan Motor Co. participated in this project, and conducted load measurement tests on various doors. Applying car crash test technology, including production of special door test dummies and high-speed photography, it was possible to simulate the accident while taking human movement into account. As a result, we obtained important data for accident cause investigation.