COMPUTER-SIMULATIONS OF ROADSIDE CRASH CUSHION IMPACTS

This paper presents the results of finite element computer simulations of vehicular impacts with a roadside crash cushion. DYNA3D is used to model the energy-dissipating response of the Narrow Connecticut Impac t Attenuation System under high-speed impacts with heavy and light veh icles. The finite element predictions are compared with the experiment al results of full-scale crash tests involving automobiles impacting t he device at 97 km/h. It is demonstrated that computer simulations can effectively model the dynamic response of a crash event and provide v aluable measures of occupant risk. Computer simulations allow the inve stigation of crash scenarios involving nontracking, braking, and turni ng vehicles. Such full-scale crash events are very difficult to conduc t in the field. It is recommended that these simulation tools be used more extensively in the design of roadside safety features so that the number of expensive full-scale crash tests required to develop future hardware can ben minimized.