Simulation of a Two-Car Oblique Side Impact Using a Simple Crash Analysis Model

A simple lumped-mass model was developed to examine the effects and sensitivities of potential countermeasures needed to improve the crash protection of passenger car occupants involved in a two-car oblique side impact. The model used inter-mass spring properties which were obtained from baseline crash test data, the details of which are shown to be significantly different from those properties obtained by typical methods.

The results show that with appropriate spring force representations a high degree of analysis to test correlation is achievable despite the complex nature of this crash mode, and that for preliminary purposes at least, a simple crash model can be used with confidence to parametrically evaluate counter measures independently or in combination.