Structural aspects of crashworthiness in road transport

The crashworthiness of a vehicle is determined largely by its structural characteristics. Controlled crush is desirable for the front and rear structure while retaining the integrity of the passenger compartment. Factors to be considered in the specification of structural characteristics are discussed in relation to conflicting requirements for different crash configurations, types of occupant restraint and limited knowledge of human impact tolerance. The relevance of differences in vehicle mass is also considered, with particular reference to collisions between cars and heavy commercial vehicles. The paper concludes with a review of the desirable structural characteristics of roadside barriers and impact attenuators (a).