Project

The project will investigate two of the primary issues facing crash compatibility between vehicles on the road. The first problem to be researched is how vehicles structurally interact with each other during a crash. This interaction is function of the geometry and construction of the energy absorbing structures in the vehicle contact areas. The second issue is to indentify strategies for the self protection of vehicles through understanding of the maximum loads that should be supported by each collision partner. An important output will be to determine how structural interaction can improve crash compatibility and if it can be measured in proposed crash test protocols under development in Europe and USA. Finally, the project will investigate the structural capacity requirements for vehicles to ensure good self protection without producing aggressive structures for other collision partners.