Independent Natural Fiber Composite Energy Absorber for Pedestrian Safety 2016-28-0080

A safe vehicle is able to save lives even during worst collision scenario. Today’s vehicles have many safety systems both active and passive to save occupants. Improving the safety of pedestrian is now concentrated upon by the design engineers. Front bumper is the first member coming in contact during a frontal collision with a pedestrian. A safe bumper design helps in reducing pedestrian fatality. The requirements for pedestrian safety are not compatible with no component damage at 5 KMPH rule by the insurance agencies. This paper aims to reduce the gap in incompatibility of front bumper to meet the various requirements by changing the role of crash bars. From the point of view of pedestrians a bull bar/ crash bar is not a safety device, but it can be made into an independent component designed specifically to protect the pedestrians. An energy absorber made of jute reinforced polypropylene composite material is embedded in the bull bar wound by dense foam covered by a thin aluminium metal sheet placed at the appropriate height of lower and upper leg crash points helps to reduce the level of injury to pedestrians