Simulation 1: Federal Outdoor Impact Laboratory Test 03008

These animations and videos show the simulation of National Center for Automotive Crahsworthiness (NCAC) Test No. 03008. This test was run using a 1992 FLD120 Freightliner Tractor (without a trailer) impacting a rigid 34-inch concrete F-shape barrier at 50 km/h (31 mi/h) at an impact angle of 25 degrees. The tractor's mass was 14,683 lbs, and its wheelbase was 215 inches.

Collision parametes are:

  • speed: 50 km/h (31 mi/h)
  • impact angle: 25°

An FE simulation of FOIL Test No. 03008 was conducted using the enhanced tractor model (version 07-1226b). The tractor model was slightly modified for this simulation by removing the exhaust and a section of the sleeper. There were many other components removed from the test vehicle that were not removed from the FE model for this simulation.

The FE model was based on a tractor with an integral cabin and sleeper. This sleeper/cabin is connected to the truck frame at six locations: two at the front of the cabin, two just behind the seats, and two at the back of the sleeper compared to only four constraints connecting the cabin to the frame on the test vehicle. These connections are modeled using nodal rigid body constraints. As a result of these connections, the stiffness of the cabin (which is basically a steel box) adds significantly to the overall stiffness of the tractor and, consequently, its kinematic response. The removal of the sleeper from the model was therefore considered to be of significant influence to the response of the tractor during impact and was removed accordingly.

Movies


Front view (0.5MB)

Side view (0.5MB)

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