Calculation Method to Determine the Structural Component’s Contribution on the Deceleration of a Passenger Compartment in Vehicle Crashes Based on the Energy-Derivative Method

Abstract

When optimizing occupant protection, it is important to consider how each structure develops crush forces so that the passenger compartment acceleration can be controlled. In this research, a new Energy-Derivative Method was developed to analyze the acceleration of the passenger compartment using the contributions from the individual structures. In the full-width crash test, the contributions of the crush box and front side member were initially large, on the contrary the contribution of the passenger compartment deformation was large in the final phase. In the ODB test, the contributions of the honeycomb and the passenger compartment were large.