Structural study of the side impact test with a fully-instrumented pole

Abstract

The aim of the project was to fully instrument the pole which is used in the side impact test with triaxle load cells. This project aims to obtain more information from the vehicle structure performance and behavior during the crash test. A crash test was done to validate the acquisition system implemented at the pole and an in-depth analysis of the data obtained was carried out. A comparison was made between the vehicle absorption mechanisms and structural elements involved. The full instrumentation of the pole makes it possible to obtain a complete view of the interaction between the vehicle and the pole and identify the most critical parts of the vehicle structure and their performance. Also, this study helps us to define the structural parts of the vehicle that need to be improved and the aspects that need to be taken into account to guarantee the safety of the occupants.