A methodology for improving structural robustness in frontal car-to-car crash scenarios

There has been significant development in passenger car crashworthiness over the last few decades. However, real-world crashes often occur in scenarios dissimilar to laboratory barrier crash set-ups. Further knowledge is required on how different impact scenarios affect vehicle structural response and occupant injury risk in real-world scenarios. This study introduces a methodology for assessing crash configuration parameters that influence the structural response in car-to-car frontal collisions by using finite element models of two identical vehicles. The crash configuration parameters included in this study were initial velocities, oblique angle and lateral offset distance. An evaluation was made in terms of passenger compartment intrusion and crash pulse severity. Special focus was directed towards investigating whether these input parameters can be used to define incompatible scenarios, i.e. where the structural response in one vehicle is significantly different compared to the other vehicle. Results indicate that collision scenarios with large overlap as extreme in terms of crash pulse severity, and incompatible car-to-car crash scenarios were found at small overlap and an oblique angle of 15°. An outlook for future model and method validation work is described.