The influence of the vehicle’s front-end profile upon adult pedestrian kinematics and dynamics, multibody approach

Abstract

The research aims to simulate and compare with experimental data road traffic accidents involving adult pedestrians. The analysis focuses on the contact phase between the pedestrian and the vehicle’s front end, using a multibody model. Taking into account the wide range of vehicles involved in such events as mentioned in the analyses from work of Depriester and Masson, the researchers aim to establish a correlation between the vehicle’s front end and the pedestrian’s kinematics and dynamics. By modifying certain frontal geometry parameters, various vehicle profiles were obtained in accordance with the classification from the Dettinger’s study. The impact velocity and motor vehicle frontal structures, including geometry and rigidity, have proved to be important factors that produce trauma. In this paper, the vehicle’s bumper assembly parameters were modified; and experimental researches and simulations were completed to determine the influence of the front-end vehicle design on the adult pedestrian kinematics and head dynamics.