The Elements of Crashworthiness: Scope and Actuality

Abstract

An across-the board survey of several aspects of crashworthiness is attempted, being in part an update and an improvement to the balance of an early monograph on the subject of The crashworthiness of vehicles of which the writer was co-author (1). Attention is given to perceiving this subject as three interconnected disciplines—materials engineering and design, combustion and fire, and medical engineering or biomechanics—but only after discussing some general guiding principles and the engineer's responsibility for the vehicles he or she produces. The latter subjects, together with short separate sections on head injury, fire fundamentals with broad allusions to vehicle fire situations and studies of kinetic energy absorption systems, comprise Part 1 of the paper. Part 2 reviews some types of collision concentrating on those involving road vehicles but with some attention to the other main types identified. Some useful and provocative conclusions are finally drawn. The author has tried to provide a useful list of references, the needs of students and non-specialists being kept in mind throughout.