CrashManagementSystems-EuropeanAluminium.PDF

Applications – Car body – Crash Management Systems Table of contents 4 Crash management systems 2 4.1 Aluminium extrusions for crash management systems 4 4.1.1 Bumper beams 5 4.1.2 Front crash management system 11 4.1.3 Rear crash management systems 21 4.1.4 Pedestrian protection requirements 23 4.1.5 Bull bars 24 4.2 Roll-over protection 25 Version 2013 © European Aluminium Association (auto@eaa.be) 1 4 Crash management systems In the design of an automobile, a most important task is to minimize the occurrence and consequences of automobile accidents. Automotive safety can be improved by active as well as passive measures. Active safety refers to technology which assists in the prevention of a crash. Passive safety includes all components of the vehicle that help to reduce the aggressiveness of the crash event. Crash protection priorities vary with the speed of the car when crash occurs:  at speeds up to 15 km/h, the main goal is to minimize repair costs;  at speeds between 15 and 40 km/h, the first aim is to protect pedestrians;  at speeds over 40 km/h, the most important concern is to guarantee occupant protection. The term “Crash Management System” is generally used to describe the structural module consisting of the bumper and the related attachments which connect to the longitudinal beams of the car. Front bumpers are normally connected to the front longitudinal beam by a separate deformation element (“crash box”). Rear bumpers are, however, mounted directly to the rear longitudinal beam. But the bumper system can’t be considered as an isolated structural module. Its design must be optimized taking into account the crashworthiness of the overall body structure, in particular the deformation characteristics of the safety cell and the crumple zones. The purpose of the front/rear