Vehicle Crash Performance Augmentation Through SEM (Solid Ejection Material) Shock Isolation 2001-01-3099

There is a new crash energy absorption technology, currently under development that adds a whole new design option for the vehicle designers, so that they can improve a vehicle’s crash performance, in both low and high speed impacts. This new technology is known as SEM (Solid Ejection Material) shock isolation. The basic restraint mechanism of this technology is the high pressure loading that is needed to initiate the flow of plastics or elastomers. Therefore, the crash energy absorption is the result of the very high work energies that are needed to expel these polymers (e.g. W=(F)(d), F>>1, d<1).