Possibilities of Using Tram Windscreen Impact Tests in Analysis of Human-Machine Accidents

Abstract

The main aim of this article is to show the possibilities of using tram windscreen impact tests in the analysis of human-machine accidents. Empirical experience shows that these accidents especially affect the head, which is at the same time one of the most vulnerable parts of the human body. Windscreen safety testing follows ECE standards and, inter alia, involves collisions with a headform. With regards to numerical simulations, however, it is essential to be able to determine the material characteristics of windscreens. Here it seems to be advantageous in terms of validity, reliability and the economic cost of using collisions with a rigid body where only the glass absorbs all of the kinetic collision energy. The outcome of these tests is a waveform of the contact force's magnitude as a function of deformation in the direction the force acts. Along with the time course of acceleration of the bumper and its kinetic energy on impact, this information can serve as boundary conditions to verify mathematical models.

Measurement of the Dynamic Load of the Cervical Vertebrae of the Human Spine - Pilot Experiment

“…Also, a large number of studies deal with increasing the passive safety of wheeled vehicles. Important works include, for example, Bittner et al, 2019;Lopot et al, 2019;Chalupa et al, 2019 and many others. Many studies (e.g. Alperowitch-Najenson et al, 2010;Bovenzi 2002;Jandák, 2007;Robb and Mansfield, 2007) also report that exposure of the body to long-term vibrations causes an adverse response in the human organism that can lead to irreversible damage.…”

Experimental Validation of the Biomechanical Response of an Anthropo-morphic Testing Device (Dummy) at Low Impact Velocities

“…The main objective of the work (Bittner, et al, 2019) was to address the impact testing of tram windshields in the analysis of human-machine accident events. Empirical experience shows that the head, which is one of the most sensitive segments of the human body, is particularly affected by these events.…”

Kinematic Analysis of the Tram-pedestrian Collision - a Preliminary Case Study.

“…Due to a growing volume of public transport, general rush and pressure of modern life, and also pedestrians' lack of attention around the public transport, the issue of safety has become important [1,2,3]. Although there have been a lot of effort, though, manpower, material, and financial resources put into the understanding of the vehicle-pedestrian collisions, developing and improving novel traffic safety technologies and vehicles' body design by automakers and related research institutions, the number of fatalities and severe injuries has remained high [1,2,4]. Therefore, the pedestrian safety and injury risk reduction focused on the public transport in urban areas have become a growing concern and European institutions together with rolling stock manufactures have already started developing the methodology for testing the passive safety of vehicle bodies [3,5].…”