Reducing the weight of vehicles could be a strong means of reducing fuel consumption in traffic. Published accident and injury statistics, however, show more severe injuries in cars with lower mass involved in car to car collisions with cars with higher mass. Current crashstandards dont consider collisions between vehicles of different weights. To met the safety level which is today expected from current heavy cars in frontal collisions against cars or fixed obstacles, the load bearing structure of lightweight cars, in particular the parts which will deform and absorb energy in collision, as well as the passenger compartment and the restraint system have to be designed in a somewhat different way than in conventional cars. In frontal collisions the low mass car experiences a higher velocity change delta v than its opponent, corresponding to the mass ratio. Structural compatibility asks for corresponding stiffnesses of the car fronts deforming during impact. Up to a mass ratio of two (for example 650 kg colliding against 1300 kg), compatibility seems to be realizable in head-on collisions of two vehicles running at 50 km each. Side impact protection requires a side structure with appropriate stiffness preventing intrusion into the side of the passenger compartment. This includes corresponding joints of the door with the surrounding structure. Padding of the door interior is chosen corresponding to human tolerances. Protection of the occupants in rear collisions asks for a seat which will guarantee an even deformation of the body contact zone on the seat back corresponding to an even displacement of head, neck ad body. In this way injuries of the cervical column may be prevented.


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    Title :

    Crashworthiness and compatibility of lightweight vehicles


    Additional title:

    Aufprallsicherheit und Kompatibilität der Fahrzeuge leichter Bauart


    Contributors:
    Kaeser, R. (author) / Frei, P. (author) / Dragan, A. (author) / Muser, M. (author) / Dippel, C. (author) / Walz, F. (author) / Niederer, P. (author) / Fehr, R. (author)


    Publication date :

    1997


    Size :

    9 Seiten, 9 Bilder, 6 Quellen


    Type of media :

    Conference paper


    Type of material :

    Print


    Language :

    English




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