This paper considers the task to clarify the circumstances of a traffic accident (TA) involving two vehicles as a result of their lateral tangential collision at low angles. The aim of the study is to construct a mathematical model of a tangential collision of vehicles for the reconstruction of TA circumstances. Owing to the combination of the law of conservation of momentum and the theory of impact using the coefficient of recovery, it was possible to construct a mathematical model that describes the development of such an accident and makes it possible to determine the main parameters of the movement of vehicles after and before the collision. An answer is given regarding the possibility of losing the directional stability of the vehicle and its movement in the lateral direction because of a collision. Based on the mathematical model, the basic parameters of vehicles motion after their side collision at angles of 5–15° were analytically determined, when there are no slip marks on the road surface. A numerical experiment was conducted on the example of a specific accident. The findings make it possible to argue about the possibility of losing the directional stability of vehicles and shifting them to the oncoming lane or curb as a result of collision. A comparison of the results of the numerical calculation with the results of software modeling of accidents and the circumstances that were established in the process of studying a real accident was carried out. It was concluded that the results obtained are consistent and make it possible to more accurately assess the parameters of the movement of vehicles after their lateral tangential collision. In general, this produces more objective results of the reconstruction of TA mechanism in cases where there are no traces of slipping and braking on the road surface. The proposed mathematical model could be used in collisions accompanied by minor deformations or damage to vehicles

When modeling mechanical objects and their systems, mathematical models developed for an elastic domain are most often used, which in some cases can lead to significant inaccuracies in calculations. The use of mathematical models that take into account visco-elastic properties or energy dissipation allows to obtain more realistic models, which will make it possible to obtain more accurate calculation results. In the paper non-stationary loading of a mechanical system, consisting of a beam hinged at the edges, and an additional support installed in the span of the beam is considered. We use a beam deformation model, which is based on the hypotheses of S. P. Timoshenko and takes into account the inertia of rotation and shear. The system of partial differential equations describing the deformation of the beam is solved by expanding the desired functions into the corresponding Fourier series and subsequent using the integral Laplace transform. The additional support is assumed to be realistic rather than absolutely rigid, having linear elastic and viscous components. It is assumed that at the point of attachment of the additional support to the beam their displacements coincide. The reaction between the beam and the additional support is replaced by an external unknown concentrated force applied to the beam, which changes with time. The law of change in time of this unknown reaction is determined from the solution of the Volterra integral equation. A method for obtaining an integral equation for an unknown reaction is described. Analytical relations and calculation results for specific numerical parameters are given. The influence of stiffness and viscosity on the determined reaction of the additional support, as well as on the deflections of the beam at various points, is investigated. The results obtained can also be used for damping forced vibrations of mechanical systems.

The non-stationary loading of a mechanical system consisting of a beam hinged at the edges and an additional support installed in the span of the beam is considered. The deformation of the beam is modeled on the basis of Timoshenko's hypotheses, taking into account the influence of rotatory inertia and shear. The deformation of the beam is described by a system of partial differential equations, which is solved analytically by means of expansion of the unknown functions into the relevant Fourier series and further use of the Laplace integral transformation. It is assumed that the additional support has linear-elastic and linear-viscous components, and the displacements coincide at the point where the additional support is connected to the beam. The reaction between the beam and the additional support is replaced by an external unknown concentrated force applied to the beam, which varies in time. The law of time variation of this unknown reaction is determined by solving the Volterra integral equation. The inverse problem of deformable solid mechanics is solved, that is, it is assumed that the deflection at a point of the beam with the additional support is known, whereas the law of time variation of the external impulse load causing the deflection is unknown. The application point of the external load and the point of the additional support connection are considered to be known and do not change in the process of deformation (when obtaining the solution of the problem it was supposed that these could be any points of the beam except for its ends). The described inverse problem is reduced to a system of two Volterra integral equations of the first kind with regard to the unknowns of the external disturbing load and reaction between the plate and the additional support, which is solved by analytical and numerical method. Analytical relations and calculation results for specific numerical parameters are given. The results obtained in this work can be used for indirect measurement of impulse and shock loads acting on beams with additional supports, for which not only elastic but also linear-viscous characteristics are taken into account.