Crumple
Zone
A
crumple zone is a structural feature of a car designed to
crush and crease, like a concertina, in order to absorb energy
during an impact and thus reduce the force transmitted to
the passenger compartment. Crumple zones are most commonly
located at the front of a vehicle, though they may also be
found elsewhere, including the rear. They consist of pre-stressed
elements in the fender, hood, frame, and related body components,
which are engineered to deform in a predetermined manner during
collision. The concept of a crumple zone was pioneered by
Mercedes-Benz and first made available on the 1953 180 "Ponton"
sedan.
Crumple zones work by increasing the amount of time that it takes the entire vehicle, and particularly the structurally-reinforced passenger compartment, to decelerate to rest after a violent impact. Although this extra deceleration period may be only a matter of milliseconds, it results in dramatically lower forces being felt by the occupants. As a consequence, occupants who are properly restrained and additionally protected by airbags are much more likely to survive a crash and suffer less severe injuries.
The main disadvantage of crumple zones is that they greatly increase the cost of repairs after a collision. Although this is not a factor if lives have been saved, it is more of a consideration in low-speed accidents, where the occupants, assuming they were wearing seatbelts, would not have been injured. It is not unusual for older cars with crumple zones to be written off following even a minor impact.
Add
more information on this topic |
|
Home page