This paper describes the concept development and testing of a new front end design for heavy trucks. The design objective was to develop a bumper which reduces the aggressivity of the truck in an offset frontal collision with an automobile. Collisions involving heavy trucks and cars are particularly unfavorable to the car due to the large mismatch in mass. The bumper design concept described in this paper has evolved from a program of work which has actively focused on reducing truck aggressivity without adversely affecting the other operational characteristics of the truck. The new bumper design involves an energy absorbing honeycomb block, covered by an impact surface which swivels upon impact, thus deflecting the car away from the path of the truck. Computer simulations were used to develop the design from a basic concept to a form suitable for stationary barrier testing. The prototype bumper was fabricated and crash tested on a stationary barrier. A Ford Taurus was used as a bullet vehicle for this purpose. The test showed that the barrier deflected the vehicle as desired, with minimum intrusion into the passenger compartment. The barrier test of this design has confirmed the potential for further refinement for truck adaptation. (A)
Abstract