Car Structure Parameter Identification for CAE Barrier Model Development

Sammanfattning

Frontal collisions between Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) and passenger cars remaina critical safety issue on rural roads due to significant structural and geometricalincompatibilities between the two vehicle types. This study focuses on developinga representative passenger-car surrogate model to support compatibility assessmentin car-to-truck crash scenarios, aligned with evolving Euro NCAP protocols. Thework involves identifying and categorizing key structural parameters of passengervehicles—such as load paths, front-end components, and deformation zones—acrossvarious European car segments. These parameters are analyzed for geometric variation and translated into stiffness-relevant inputs for the development of a simplifiedCAE barrier model.A structured development process is presented in this work, integrating structuralpositioning, crash response, and stiffness inputs to propose a concept CAE barriermodel that aims to capture realistic vehicle deformation behaviour and energy absorption in real-world crashes. Despite limitations related to restricted access toproprietary data and absence of physical testing, the study establishes a structuredmethodology for stiffness characterization and surrogate modelling. The findingscontribute toward improving compatibility evaluation and enhancing Front Underrun Protection Device (FUPD) performance in future HGV safety designs.