Simulation of a multibody occupant model during vehicle collision with different applications of vehicle control systems

The aim of this research is to apply vehicle dynamics control systems to mitigate the vehicle collision and study the effects of these systems on the kinematic behaviour of the vehicle's occupant. An unique three-degree-of-freedom vehicle dynamics/crash mathematical model and a simplified lumped mass occupant model are developed. The first model is used to define the vehicle body crash parameters and it integrates a vehicle dynamics model with a vehicle front-end structure model. In this model, the anti-lock braking system and active suspension control system are co-simulated, and its associated equations of motion are developed. The second model aims to predict the effect of vehicle dynamics control systems on the kinematics of the occupant. The Lagrange's equations are used to solve that model due to the complexity of the obtained equations of motion. It is shown from the numerical simulations that the vehicle dynamics/crash response and occupant behaviour can be captured and analysed quickly and accurately. Furthermore, it is shown that the vehicle dynamics control systems can affect the crash characteristics positively and the occupant behaviour is improved.