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Technical Paper

Method for Estimating Vehicle-Specific Frontal Stiffness Values in the Absence of an Applicable Crash Test Using Methodically-Distilled Data from the NHTSA Crash Database (Phase 1)

2015-03-10
2015-01-0027
When a vehicle is involved in a collision, often a question arises regarding the vehicle's pre-crash velocity. In modern vehicles, velocity data can typically be extracted from the vehicle's Electronic Data Recorder (EDR) via OEM or aftermarket diagnostic tools. However, many modern vehicles - and particularly vehicles operated and/or manufactured in Australia - are not equipped with downloadable EDRs. In these cases, the pre-crash velocity must be calculated based on physical forensic evidence. One method for estimating collision velocity is the crush-energy method, wherein the vehicle is modeled as a spring system. The velocity is then estimated based on the vehicle-specific stiffness properties and on the post-collision crush profile. The vehicle-specific stiffness properties must be derived from a comparable staged crash test. Often, no such crash test exists.
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