A Simulation Program for Large Dynamic Deformation of Vehicles

This paper describes the program UMVCS-1 which was developed for the computer simulation of vehicle crash. The program is based on a modular concept designed to give the user maximum flexibility in model synthesis. For a given simulation the user specifies the vehicle through an alphanumeric “physical description” of his model. The program translates this input and assembles the necessary equations for the mathematical model. Storage assignment and dimensioning are all handled internally in the program. Modeling elements include both finite element beams and mechanisms which are three dimensional generalizations of “resistances” commonly used in one dimensional simulations. Program capability is illustrated through the analysis of an actual vehicle crash test.