Numerical Simulation of Tram Collision with Pedestrian

¹ Regional Technological Institute, University of West Bohemia in Pilsen, Univerzitni 8, 306 14 Pilsen, Czech Republic
² New Technologies - Research Centre, University of West Bohemia in Pilsen, Univerzitni 8, 301 00 Pilsen, Czech Republic

Abstract

This paper is focused on the field of traffic passive safety. The main point of this research is to reduce the severity of the consequences of a collision between tramway and pedestrian. The collision scenario is based on statistical data of local research in Czech Republic. For the first assessment of influence of tram geometry, it is necessary to investigate in the numerical simulations with different shapes of tram face. For this purpose the Multibody simulations are carried. Then the detail finite element simulations are prepared. The explicit finite element code Virtual Performance solution (VPS) and human body model Virthuman where used for the simulations. The approval process and standards were prepared for trams in last years (e.g Technical Guide Tramway front-end design) and already today it is visible significant contrast with automotive industry. The main complications in design process are connected with other requirements for tram front-end construction. These requirements are from other passive and active safety field (requirement for collision tram-tram, collision tram-road vehicle, active safety eg. visibility) and from another fields (durability, design, aerodynamics). The new construction safe for pedestrian is different in more ways. Therefore it is difficult to propagate the changes in construction.