Citation

Grau CA, Huston RL. Int. J. Crashworthiness 1998; 3(3): 249-264.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1998, Informa - Taylor and Francis Group)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This paper presents a validation of a simplified analytical model of vehicle collisions recently proposed by the authors. This model predicts the kinematics of a right-angle side impact collision, between two vehicles. In this paper, the analytical model is modified to correspond to the case of a right angle collision between a vehicle and a fixed rigid object, such as a pole. The advantage of this model lies in its inherent simplicity, making it a convenient tool for preliminary accident reconstruction studies or vehicle collision research. Two approaches are employed to validate the analytical model. First, a finite element model of a Ford Festiva was retrieved from the public domain model catalog of the National Crash Analysis Center and was used to simulate two frontal impacts, one against a rigid fixed pole and the other against a fixed rigid wall. The explicit finite element code LS-DYNA3D is used for these simulations. The results are then compared with those originated by the proposed mathematical model. Next, the results of the vehicle crash test FOIL 95S008, "Ford Taurus Broadside Collision with a Narrow Fixed Object", are compared with those originated by the analytical model. These results are then compared with those originated by the proposed mathematical model.