Crashworthiness

G. Dorey, ia G. A. O. Davies, ed.. Structural Impact and Crashworthiness, Elsevier AppHed Science Pubhshers, Barking, UK, 1984, Chapt. 6, pp. 155-192. 

In the past when car crashworthiness was designed entirely experimentally, full-sized prototypes were subjected to the crash scenarios required by the relevant authorities. If the performance was unacceptable, the shape deformations of the components making up the prototype were examined. A new prototype was engineered empirically to overcome the identified weaknesses before being built and then destroyed in a subsequent test. These tests would be repeated many times before an appropriate design was found. The cost of the process was enormous. 

D.J. Bammann et al Failure in ductile materialsusing finite element methods. In Wierzbicki T et al (eds) Structure Crashworthiness and Failure. Elsevier Applied Science, The Universities Press (Belfast) Ltd, Belfast (1993)... 

The outputs from finite element analysis will tell the chemist many of the important predictive characteristics of the part. The effects of load (stress, strain, and deflection) are measured. Material selection based on strength and part dimensions and tolerances are determined and easily adjusted. The effects of heat (heat transfer and thermal stresses) are determined as well as material selection based on conduction and insulation. Special applications such as bending and vibration characteristics, crashworthiness, fatigue, and noise can be determined. The design requirements, such as expected loads, load cycle cost, mass targets, and budget targets, can be predicted and met with proper application of the FEA tool. 

Design and testing of crashworthy aerospace composite components... 

The design of safe, crashworthy subfloor structures is dependent on crash severity and what is considered to be a survivable crash. For large civil transport aircraft, crash-worthiness requirements are set out in CFR and CS paragraphs 25.561, 25.562, [3,4],... 

Figure 10.1 Design concept for crashworthy airframe structure [11].

Figure 10.3 Building block approach with test and simulation pyramids as basis for the design of a crashworthy hehcopter frame structure.

Figure 10.12 Schematic of crashworthy frame concept structure.

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