Fifth Gear Crash Test Next Week

[CTCNetwork]

Hi,

Originally Posted by LankyTim

But many modern cars have very short bonnets, not much of a crumple zone to absorb the impact energy. How does that work?

A lot/most new cars are now using what they call "high strength steel" in the manufacture of the body shell and structural components.
While thinner and lighter it has greater structural strength and stability.

The design of the car body, body shell and attachments is done in such a way that impact eergy is directed around the passenger cell.
This is why Volvo went with FWD as the RWD set-up with the gearbox and drive shaft passing under the floor impinged on the security of the passenger cell.
The FWD engine and gearbox don't, and in an impact will be forced away from that cell (absorbing energy in the process)...

Des. . .

[juliobee]

The Renault is bound to come out better off it's a much more modern design. But who cares. This is more of a TV entertainment stunt than any thing else.
Try fitting a family of four, the dog and the luggage in a Renault Modus and then see who is better off. Besides that Renaults have poor build quality, well my van does anyway. Bits just keep dropping off of it.

Juliobee

[LankyTim]

Originally Posted by CTCNetwork

Hi,

A lot/most new cars are now using what they call "high strength steel" in the manufacture of the body shell and structural components.
While thinner and lighter it has greater structural strength and stability.

The design of the car body, body shell and attachments is done in such a way that impact eergy is directed around the passenger cell.
This is why Volvo went with FWD as the RWD set-up with the gearbox and drive shaft passing under the floor impinged on the security of the passenger cell.
The FWD engine and gearbox don't, and in an impact will be forced away from that cell (absorbing energy in the process)...

Des. . .

Interesting to know about the advances in steel technology. I wonder what the next 10 years will have in store, maybe no more deaths in road accidents?? Wishful thinking perhaps..

The point I was trying to make was that modern cars, such as the modus have very short bonnets to absorb the impact. Surely its better to go from 60MPH to 0MPH in 4ft rather than 2 ft... In the case of the modus it would be 60MPH to -15MPH due to the rebound action of the car. The occupants would be protected from crush injuries by the safety cell and saved from further injuries by the airbags but would still need a coffin due to the huge decelleration forces. Still, id rather risk the decelleration forces than end up with the front suspension on my lap.

[Clan]

Volvo use 4 different grades of High Strength steel including Boron Steel in different areas of the bosyshell .
Thje SMART car may look frail but how it deals with an accident is to be very stiff so not much crushes , this results in much more human damage from the seat belts as Tim describes above ..

[ovlov25]

I'm going to do the safest thing possible and not crash.

[CTCNetwork]

Hi,

Originally Posted by LankyTim

The point I was trying to make was that modern cars, such as the modus have very short bonnets to absorb the impact. Surely its better to go from 60MPH to 0MPH in 4ft rather than 2 ft... In the case of the modus it would be 60MPH to -15MPH due to the rebound action of the car. The occupants would be protected from crush injuries by the safety cell and saved from further injuries by the airbags but would still need a coffin due to the huge decelleration forces. Still, id rather risk the decelleration forces than end up with the front suspension on my lap.

You would think that the larger the crumple zone the better....
However, I think where modern design goes is "energy dispersal".
You have a passenger cell, and the object of safety measures is to 1) keep that cell safe and as damage free as possible and 2) disperse the impact energy around the safety cell.... This is done by having different strengths of materials in different places so that the energy can be guided along a certain path...

Des. . .

[RoyMacDonald]

Originally Posted by LankyTim

Interesting to know about the advances in steel technology. I wonder what the next 10 years will have in store, maybe no more deaths in road accidents?? Wishful thinking perhaps..

The point I was trying to make was that modern cars, such as the modus have very short bonnets to absorb the impact. Surely its better to go from 60MPH to 0MPH in 4ft rather than 2 ft... In the case of the modus it would be 60MPH to -15MPH due to the rebound action of the car. The occupants would be protected from crush injuries by the safety cell and saved from further injuries by the airbags but would still need a coffin due to the huge decelleration forces. Still, id rather risk the decelleration forces than end up with the front suspension on my lap.

That's the point I was trying to make, there aren't any cars with a crumple zone big enough to protect you in a 60 mph combined speed crash.

Yes, the Modus deceleration is more like 75 mph from the occupants point of veiw.

Boron steel has been around for a while. My bike was made of it in 1995. Tough as Hell, It took me 20 min and 2 drill bits to make a hole in it.

Roy

[Clan]

Volvo used boron steel before that in the 850 ... circa 1992

[LankyTim]

Theres a vid on youtube with a smart car crash test. Its very impressive, 70 MPH into concrete!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ju6t-yyoU8s

Wouldnt fancy the occupants chances though. Is it possible for a human body to snap seat belts?

*edit* theres a corsa too!

[RoyMacDonald]

Originally Posted by LankyTim

Theres a vid on youtube with a smart car crash test. Its very impressive, 70 MPH into concrete!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ju6t-yyoU8s

Wouldnt fancy the occupants chances though. Is it possible for a human body to snap seat belts?

I'm not sure but I found this sobering item on the web.

On July 13, 1996, Patricia Wall, a Canadian software designer and international project leader, was caught in a four-car pileup. Tests later found she had extensive soft tissue damage and debilitating brain damage as a result of the collision, and immediately began the standard approved therapies prescribed by her physicians. After a year of rehabilitation therapy, Wall could stand for just three minutes before falling down, regardless of what she was doing.

“I had to wear special equipment to function. I had a brace to wear around my pelvis because the seat belt had done such damage that my legs would drop out of their sockets. I had braces for my wrists, a stabilizing collar for my neck, and I literally could not string two sentences together.”

Roy