Prediction of full-scale crashworthiness performance based on component-level testing: application to bus structures

Abstract

The growing interest in vehicle crashworthiness necessitates efficient methods to predict full-scale crash performance from component-level testing. This study introduces a framework for predicting vehicle crashworthiness using component-level tests. The framework employs a scaling procedure incorporating factors like total energy, deformation mode, and vehicle dimensions. The feasibility of this method was validated both experimentally and numerically in a study on the rollover performance of paratransit buses, utilizing two decades of data from full-scale and component testing of six buses. Wall-to-floor connections, prone to plastic deformation during rollovers, were tested for component bending. A rollover performance index was developed as a scaling procedure, establishing a clear correlation between full-scale and component tests. Additionally, extensive finite element simulations confirmed the framework applicability to numerical simulations, demonstrating its practical use in vehicle crashworthiness evaluations to foster resource-efficient design and reduce dependence on full-scale tests.