This paper presents an approach to collision simulation using a new algorithm to track interacting vehicle surface meshes. Three-dimensional (3-D) forces due to vehicle crush are taken into account during the solution, and the damage profile is visualized at run time. The new collision algorithm is portable, in that it takes as input vehicle material properties and surface geometries and calculates from their interaction 3-D forces and moments at the vehicle center of gravity. Intervehicle mesh forces may be calculated from a user-defined force-deflection relationship. The derivation is discussed. The paper includes examples using arbitrarily shaped 3-D bodies as a proof of concept. Samples are also included using 3-D vehicle meshes. The simulations are shown to agree favourably with theory, test, and finite element (FE) results.
Samenvatting