Lumped-Parameter Modeling of Frontal Offset Impacts

In the current highway vehicle accident environment a large percentage of fatalities and injuries occur in frontal offset crashes. Computational modeling is being used in support of crashworthiness studies at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to develop an understanding of structural response in offset crash events. This paper presents a lumped-parameter approach to modeling offset impacts. Applications for offset models are discussed, including providing inputs to occupant simulations and as the basis of multipurpose frontal impact models. The role of discretization errors, nonuniaxial motions, and test data dependence and sensitivity in limiting model accuracy is discussed. Extensions to the modeling methodology that will better support offset events are identified.