Evaluation and design of vehicle structures for crash protection - a systems approach

This paper proposes a procedure for carrying out crashworthiness analysis and design aimed at facilitating timely recommendations for crash protection. The process, which is a hybrid of test and computer simulation of a majority case crash scenario deduced from accident investigation, is made very effective by developing simple simulation methods which facilitate the understanding of a structures general, overall behaviour. Such understanding enables engineers to concentrate effort on the areas of a structure which, if modified, would yield maximum improved protection. Through this procedure and in conjunction with data concerning human tolerance loads, better real world crash protection can be achieved.