Motor vehicle deformation energy under conditions of road traffic accidents

Abstract

The article sets out a method for assessing the energy of deformations of vehicles in road traffic accidents (RTAs). The intensity of operation of vehicles, as well as the increase in their number is accompanied by numerous accidents. In most cases, accidents are caused by violation of speed limits. In this regard, relevant are methods capable of estimating the strain energy expended during impacts of motor vehicles. The determination of the energy of deformation and destruction of structural elements of vehicles is important for determining the speed of their movement before a collision. In addition, information on the energy used to deform vehicles in road accident conditions allows vehicle manufacturers to reduce the amount of expensive, uninformative, and extremely unflexible car tests. In the present work, the problem of estimating the energy before a shock based on full-scale tests is solved. By the example of automotive technical expertise, initial data were obtained to determine the values of the speeds of automobiles, as well as their deformation energy absorbed during impact.

The essence of the model for assessing the strain energy is that any inelastic shock between vehicles leads to an equivalent elastic shock, which takes into account the total energy consumption, which includes the work of deformation, the work of the forces of resistance to movement, vehicles in the process of rebound after impact and kinetic losses upon impact. The reliability of the developed method for assessing the energy of deformation of vehicles is confirmed in emergency conditions. Based on full-scale tests, the strain energy is determined by the energy equivalent method and the hardness method. Satisfactory convergence of the results of calculating the strain energy by two methods is shown. The results obtained confirm the reliability of determining the speed determined by two methods, as well as using a surveillance camera. The hardness method, proposed as an alternative to the energy equivalent method, allows you to calculate the energy in the accident conditions of any vehicles, including cars for which crash tests are not carried out.