Impact force reduction after passing through a medium

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the impact force experienced by a wall after a car collides with a mass of soil. Participants explore the attenuation of force as it travels through the soil and consider both analytical and numerical modeling approaches to determine the force felt by the wall.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Technical explanation
  • Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant proposes that the impact force F from a car hitting soil will attenuate as it travels through the mass, raising the question of what the reduced force at the wall would be.
  • Another participant inquires about the context of the question, seeking clarification on the application of the analysis.
  • A further response suggests that the inquiry may relate to designing a wall to withstand forces from potential impacts, considering the mitigating effect of the soil mass.
  • One participant questions the necessity of anticipating such an impact, implying a need for protective measures.
  • Another participant notes the potential legal implications of discussing accident scenarios, leading to the closure of the thread.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

The discussion remains unresolved, with participants expressing differing views on the context and implications of the original question. There is no consensus on the analytical versus numerical approaches to modeling the impact force.

boyboy400
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TL;DR
A car hits a mass of soil with the impact force of F. We know properties of the mass and its dimension. What is the force felt at the other side of the mass?
Hello,

Please see the attached sketch. A car hits a mass of soil and applies the impact force of F. The force/wave travels the distance L through the mass at the end of which there is a wall so I think the force attenuates. Assume we have all the properties of the mass. My question is, what would be the attenuated/decreased F felt by the wall? I know this can be modeled with FEM but I have a feeling there should be an analytical solution based on physics for it too. Would really appreciate any insight.
 

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Can you say what the context of the question is?
 
Not sure what you mean by the context. Let's say you want to design the wall to withstand the force but you know the force felt by the wall will be reduced due to existence of the mass of soil.
 
Why are you anticipating a car running into your wall so that you need to add protection?
 
This looks like some sort of accident investigation. Please be aware that we can't provide any legal advice in situations like this.

Consequently, this thread is now closed.
 

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