Calculation of vehicle-lumped model parameters considering occupant deceleration in frontal crash

In this study, two types of lumped parameter models (LPMs) are introduced for a vehicle to study frontal crash. A four-degree-of-freedom (DOF) LPM Hybrid (LH) model is proposed and analysed as a full car model during crash status, which is compared with a serial 4-DOF model. In addition, a 5-DOF LH model is proposed and compared with a serial 5-DOF model. In this investigation, two parameters, including spring and damper coefficients, have been determined so that the proposed models have similar deceleration with the experimental data. These determined parameters have been calculated on the basis of difference minimisation between simulated and experimental results as occurred for occupants in the frontal crash. A genetic algorithm (GA) is implemented for defining a value function to optimise parameters. In other words, the GA is used for system identification to determine the spring and damper parameters for LPMs. Absolute decelerations along with their frequencies due to external load excitation are also studied here.