IMPACT DEFORMATION

[CESSNA1]

HELLO ALL: Here is my question:
A bus (40000#) hits a auto (4000#) in the rear end at a low speed (10 mph) The strucural supports for the bike rack on the bus are deformed plastically. Is there a way to calculate/estimate the force on each of the two brackets?

Cordially
Dave

 

[IDS]

The force is equal to the plastic moment of the section at the point where the part has yielded divided by the lever arm. The exact lever arm would depend on the geometry of the rack and the attached bicycles, but a reasonable approximation would be the vertical distance from the point of attachment of the bicycles to the point of yielding.


Doug Jenkins
Interactive Design Services

http://newtonexcelbach.wordpress.com/