Calculating Force of a Side Collision: Help Appreciated

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SUMMARY

This discussion focuses on calculating the force experienced by a driver during a side collision, particularly when the vehicle strikes another moving object rather than a stationary wall. The key takeaway is that when two cars of equal mass and compressibility collide, the impact can be analyzed as if hitting an unyielding wall at half the speed. It is emphasized that modern vehicles are engineered to absorb impacts, leading to a relatively constant resistance after initial deformation, allowing for the calculation of force by dividing the kinetic energy of the driver by the stopping distance.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of kinetic energy (KE) principles
  • Familiarity with vehicle dynamics and impact physics
  • Knowledge of modern car safety features and crumple zones
  • Basic proficiency in physics equations related to force and motion
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the physics of side collisions in vehicles
  • Study the principles of crumple zones and energy absorption in modern cars
  • Learn how to calculate force using kinetic energy and stopping distance
  • Explore simulations of vehicle collisions to visualize impact forces
USEFUL FOR

Automotive engineers, safety analysts, physics students, and anyone involved in vehicle safety design or accident reconstruction will benefit from this discussion.

BCole
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I am having some troubles figuring out how to calculate the force that the driver receives during a collision, I understand the physics of a car hitting a wall very well. but I have troubles calculating the force received when hitting another object in motion, not in a head on collision, but hitting the passengers side door. . any help would be appreciated.
 
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If you suppose the cars to be equal in mass and compressibility, it would be like hitting an unyielding wall at one half the speed.
That said, computing the forces is not trivial. Modern cars are designed to absorb impacts by collapsing at a fairly constant resistance, so, after the first metre or so, you can maybe take the force as constant. Then you can divide the KE of the driver by the stopping distance. In practice, the force will tend to rise during the impact.
 

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