CRASHWORTHINESS FOR HIGH-CAPACITY PERSONAL RAPID TRANSIT VEHICLES

This study is concerned with the design of crashworthy vehicles for high-capacity personal rapid transit (PRT) systems. PRT systems offer on-demand, non-stop service from origin to destination over an extensive network of exclusive guideways. Proposed high-capacity PRT systems operate at fractional second headways. The necessity for such short headway operation has resulted in concern for passenger safety in high-capacity PRT. This study is undertaken to establish guidelines for the design of PRT vehicles in which passengers would not be seriously injured even under the conditions of a worst case collision. It is established that even in the case of a collision with a fixed unyielding barrier, adequate passenger protection can be obtained using existing technology provided impact velocities do not exceed 30 to 40 m.p.h. /UMTA/

• Corporate Authors:

  University of Minnesota, Minneapolis

  School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering
  Minneapolis, MN  United States  55455
• Authors:
  • Gerrard, W L
  • Caudill, R J
  • Rushfeldt, T R
• Publication Date: 1974-10

Media Info

• Pagination: 121 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Crashworthiness; Demand responsive transportation; Guideways; Headways; Personal rapid transit; Qualitative analysis; Quantitative analysis; Rapid transit cars; Safety factors; Urban transportation; Vehicle design; Vehicle safety
• Old TRIS Terms: Vehicular safety
• Subject Areas: Design; Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Public Transportation; Safety and Human Factors; Terminals and Facilities;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00081908
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Urban Mass Transportation Administration
• Report/Paper Numbers: UMTA-MN-11-0037-74-1
• Files: NTIS, TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Apr 22 1982 12:00AM