Abstract
The paper shows the results of calculative estimation of passive safety of the truck’s cab. It is well known that cab’s structure must absorb impact energy and keep necessary life area for the driver and passenger during such accidents as: rollover, front impact, strike of the loose cargo. All these requirements are regulated by ECE-R29.
Calculative researching of the cab structure deflected mode in the condition of accident loading was made with the help of modern finite-element analysis (FEA) software. Analytical estimation of the cab passive safety based on the numerical analysis results of the detailed and simplified cab models.
For the each regulated by ECE-R29 case of cab loading, deformations, breaking load and remaining life area inside the cab structure were estimated. Comparison analysis shows that simplified cab FEM needs low calculative recourses and could be used during the initial stages of the design process for the comparative assessment of the structural changes influence on the cab passive safety. There are several alternative designs of the cab structure presented in the article. The regular-style design, which satisfies requirements of passive safety and durability, was chosen.
Analysis of the results shows that structure of the cab satisfies requirements of ECE-R29 – there is necessary life area inside the cab in all cases of accident loading.
Executed researches and analysis results confirm the relevance and efficiency of using of numerical methods and computer simulation of the crash accidents loading conditions for the vehicle passive safety estimation during the design and development processes.
Keywords: cab, passive safety, calculative estimation