Passenger protection in a lateral collision - the effect on the side-panel velocity of changing the structure of the side of the body and reducing the aggressiveness of the front end.

THE AUTHORS EXAMINE THE REFLECTIVE CONTRIBUTION OF THE STRUCTURAL FACTOR AND THE INTERNAL ENERGY ABSORPTION FACTOR FOR PASSENGER PROTECTION. THE STRUCTURAL FACTOR DETERMINES THE SIDE-PANEL VELOCITY IN A SIDEWAYS COLLISION, AND THUS THE SEVERITY OF THE IMPACT TO WHICH THE MOST EXPOSED PASSENGER IS SUBJECTED, WHILE THE ENERGY-ABSORPTION FACTOR IS AIMED AT ENSURING THAT HUMAN TOLERANCE IS NOT EXCEEDED AT A GIVEN SIDE-PANEL VELOCITY. THE CONCEPT OF SIDE-PANEL VELOCITY IS EXAMINED, AS IS THE EFFECT OF STRUCTURAL SPECIFICATIONS ON SIDE-PANEL VELOCITY. DETAILS ARE GIVEN OF THE STRUCK AND STRIKING STRUCTURES USED IN THE TESTS, OF THE FIVE 90 DEG LATERAL COLLISION TESTS CARRIED OUT AT A SPEED OF 50 KM/H WITH THE TARGET VEHICLE STOPPED. THE RESULTS OF THE TESTS ARE ANALYZED AS REGARDS EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL DEFORMATIONS, VELOCITY AND SIDE-PANEL VELOCITY. (A) FOR THE COVERING ABSTRACT OF SECTION 5 SEE IRRD 266063. FOR THE COVERING ABSTRACT OF THE CONFERENCE SEE IRRD 266046.