CRASHWORTHINESS ANALYSIS OF THE UMTA STATE-OF-THE-ART CARS

An engineering assessment of the crashworthiness of the UMTA State-of-the-Art Car (SOAC) has been conducted as part of a program to provide safer transportation to urban rail vehicles. Crash dynamics and crashworthiness methodology based on post-yield energy absorption characteristics and a 'weighted acceleration' severity index has been applied. Sensitivity studies have been conducted to show the effect of car buff strength, passenger relative velocity, passenger spacing, and cushioning on casualties as defined by the severity index. Major gains in injury reduction through improved internal cushioning are indicated. The prevention of car penetration by override is treated. The SOAC collision dynamics model is validated by comparison to the SOAC-gondola accident of August 11, 1973, and by comparison to a nonlinear finite element mathematical simulation of the SOAC in crash conditions.

• Corporate Authors:

  Boeing Vertol Company

  Surface Transportation Systems Department, P.O. Box 16858
  Philadelphia, PA  United States  19142

  Urban Mass Transportation Administration

  400 7th Street, SW
  Washington, DC  United States  20590

  Transportation Systems Center

  55 Broadway, Kendall Square
  Cambridge, MA  United States  02142
• Authors:
  • Widmayer, E
  • Tanner, A E
  • Klump, R
• Publication Date: 1975-10

Media Info

• Pagination: 193 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Crash cushions; Crash injury research; Crash tests; Crashes; Crashworthiness; Energy absorption; Hazard analysis; Injuries; Light rail vehicles; Mathematical models; Mechanical shock; Passenger cars; Passengers; Railroad cars; Rapid transit; Rapid transit cars; Research; Safety; Safety engineering; Safety equipment; Sensitivity; State of the art studies; Structural engineering; Transportation safety; Urban transportation; Vehicle design
• Identifier Terms: State of the Art Car (Rapid transit car)
• Uncontrolled Terms: Passenger safety
• Old TRIS Terms: Impact shock; Passenger car design; Rapid transit railways
• Subject Areas: Design; Highways; Passenger Transportation; Public Transportation; Railroads; Research; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00093610
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: Final Rpt., UMTA-MA-06-0025-7515
• Files: NTIS, TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: Feb 4 1981 12:00AM