Fabrication and Validation of a Mobile Deformable Barrier for Side Impact 856095

At the last ESV conference in Kyoto, the Laboratory of UTAC had proposed a work that has permitted the characteristics of a mobile deformable barrier to be defined.

After discussion at the European Experimental Vehicles Committee (EEVC) and study of proposals from different members of the Group of Rapporteurs on Crashworthiness (GRCS) of Geneva, a design of a mobile deformable barrier has been defined.

To obtain the prescribed force-deflection curves of each part of the front impactor, the use of honeycomb materials has been studied by the Laboratory of UTAC. This material was chosen because: the force- deflection curve is linear and constant; the repeatability of compression tests is good; the restored energy after impact is very low; the implementation to build the front face is very easy; the stiffness of the whole front impact surface is uniform; and the visible print of the struck vehicle in the front face shows the different stiff sections of the lateral structure of the struck vehicle.

Many tests have been carried out, as part of a study contract for the "Direction de la Sécurité et de la Circulation Routières (DSCR)," against a load cell fixed barrier to verify the repeatability of deflection and effort measurements of the whole impactor. Moreover, this barrier has been evaluated during lateral impacts against vehicles.

These tests have shown that, using honeycomb to construct the front face, it is possible: to meet the requirements of the draft specifications established EEVC and accepted by GRCS, especially with regard to the effort-deflection curves with an excellent repeatability, the amounts of energy dissipated by the different parts and the whole front face, and the deformations of this front face; and to simulate the energy absorption of the front part of a striking vehicle.

Moreover, the material permits a print in the front face, making it easier to study the lateral structure resistance of the struck vehicle.