The analysis of a traffic accident requires additional knowledge that is not normally taught during the university education. Therefore, the analysis of road accidents usually is performed by specialized experts. The knowledge required for this was published in the early 80s in a previous German edition of this book. Now a team of authors created the long overdue update. The authors are experts in their field and make their knowledge available in a contemporary representation. In this computer-aided methods of work are taken into accountas as well. Content Accident survey - instrumentation - data for the calculation - kinematics - driving operation - kinetics - dynamics - information perception - speed calculation - collision mechanics - pedestrian - bicycle - cars - commercial vehicles - rollovers - rail based vehicles - biomechanics - occupant motion - simulation - animation Target groups Experts in accident reconstruction and damage assessment Traffic judges, prosecutors, lawyers Vehicle engineers Traffic police in training Insurance professionals in the claims settlement Insurance adjusters
Automotive Accident Reconstruction: Practices and Principles introduces techniques for gathering information and interpreting evidence, and presents computer-based tools for analyzing crashes. This book provides theory, information and data sources, techniques of investigation, an interpretation of physical evidence, and practical tips for beginners. It also works as an ongoing reference for experienced reconstructionists. The book emphasizes three things: the theoretical foundation, the presentation of data sources, and the computer programs and spread sheets used to apply both theory and collected data in the reconstruction of actual crashes. It discusses the specific requirements of reconstructing rollover crashes, offers background in structural mechanics, and describes how structural mechanics and impact mechanics are applied to automobiles that crash. The text explores the treatment of crush energy when vehicles collide with each other and with fixed objects. It delves into various classes of crashes, and simulation models. The framework of the book starts backward in time, beginning with the analysis of post-crash vehicle motions that occurred without driver control. Applies time-reverse methods, in a detailed and rigorous way, to vehicle run-out trajectories, utilizing the available physical evidence Walks the reader through a collection of digital crash test data from public sources, with detailed instructions on how to process and filter the information Shows the reader how to build spread sheets detailing calculations involving crush energy and vehicle post-crash trajectory characteristics Contains a comprehensive treatment of crush energy This text can also serve as a resource for industry professionals, particularly with regard to the underlying physics.
EVIDENCE IN TRAFFIC CRASH INVESTIGATION AND RECONSTRUCTION begins with a detailed description of the entire investigation process. The material then graduates into the various phases and levels of investigations, showing the levels of training and education normally associated with the levels of investigations and consequently the duties and responsibilities of the investigator and reconstructionist. Using narrative, schematics, and photographs, the mechanical inspection process is described in detail by identifying various vehicle parts, explanations of their functions, and methods of identifying failures. Human-related factors in traffic crash investigations are discussed at length, including the traffic crash viewed as a systems failure. Looming vulnerability, a recently developed theoretical construct that helps to describe and understand social, cognitive, organizational, and psychological mechanism, is described. Discussed also is the role of vision in driver performance; perception as a four-way process; perceptions and reactions; driver's reaction to stress; and the roles of pathologists, medical examiners, and coroners in traffic crash reconstruction. Who is an expert and expert evidence are described in detail. Errors that can occur in the investigation process and the tolerances that should be considered or allowed are explained. The manual also discusses the importance of calling upon the skills and advice of occupational specialists, such as reconstructionists, lawyers, traffic engineers, pathologists, medical examiners and others, to assist in the investigation and reconstruction of a crash that will ensure that the objectives of a thorough and complete investigation will be satisfied. Considerable effort has been made in the manual to explain how to identify, interpret and analyze all forms of highway marks and damages that can be used in the reconstruction of a vehicle-related crash. As a guide for investigators, prosecutors and defense attorneys, checkboxes are provided with many of the major topics that can be used as prompters in evaluating the thoroughness of an investigation or for those areas that might or might not need additional coverage at trial or litigation proceedings. To meet international requirements, mathematical references are described in both English (U.S.) and SI (metric) measurement systems, accompanied by various appendices covering symbols and mathematical conversions. Finally, there is a comprehensive quick-find index that takes the reader directly to any topic, formulae, or subject matter - or any combination of these.
As a traffic accident investigator or reconstructionist, you probably have the common speed and sliding formulas memorized. However, there likely are formulas out there that you haven't committed to memory. And, while it's not practical to carry around a large textbook to every accident scene, having some type of reference would make your job easier. That is why the Pocket Traffic Accident Reconstruction Guide was created.Timothy Stabb, the author, created the Pocket Traffic Accident Reconstruction Guide to be an easy to use reference for anyone investigating a traffic accident. The guide is a pocket-sized booklet containing over eighty equations to compute vehicle velocity/speeds, distance, time acceleration rates and more. Designed to fit in a shirt pocket, day planner or briefcase, this handy guide also contains a glossary of traffic collision terms, a list of helpful websites, a table of roadway friction coefficient values and a conversion multiplier.It contains equations for:Converting speed from MPH to FPS, Converting velocity from FPS to MPH, Airborne projectile motion, Center of gravity mass, Pedestrian impact, And many more.
Even though a number of developed countries enjoy a high level of vehicle safety, more than 1.2 million fatalities still occur each year on roadways worldwide. There remains a need to continue improving vehicle and road safety. New technologies in sensors and electronic control units, and the growing knowledge of car-to-car and car-to-infrastructure technologies have led to a fusion of the previously separated areas of accident avoidance (popularly known as active safety) and mitigation of injuries (popularly known as passive safety) into the newer concept of integrated vehicle safety. This new approach represents a further step toward lowering accident rates. This book, written by two of the foremost automotive engineering safety experts, takes a unique and comprehensive approach to describing all areas of vehicle safety: accident avoidance, pre-crash, mitigation of injuries, and post-crash technologies, providing a solutions-based perspective of integrated vehicle safety. Also covered are accident investigation and worldwide legislation as they apply to integrated vehicle safety. The man-machine interface, biomechanics and development and simulation techniques are also key concepts that are thoroughly described. Special attention is given to driver assistance systems and to compatibility in car-to-car crashes and pedestrian protection. Chapters cover: accident research, functions of integrated safety, biomechanics and protection criteria, injury mitigation, adaptive occupant protection, compatibility, calculation and simulation, and the future. The book is useful for those interested in any aspect of automotive safety. Engineers and scientists from the automotive industry can learn new details as well as the broad perspective of vehicle safety today. The book also provides key information to traffic safety professionals, law enforcement, insurance practitioners, and journalists. Those who help shape traffic and vehicle legislation can gain a wider understanding of the topic to help them craft better laws. The book also serves as a valuable learning resource for academicians and students.
Featuring contributions from industry leaders in their respective fields, this volume presents comprehensive, authoritative coverage of all the major issues involved in road vehicle dynamic behavior. It begins with a short history of road and off-road vehicle dynamics followed by thorough, detailed state-of-the-art chapters on modeling, analysis and optimization in vehicle system dynamics, vehicle concepts and aerodynamics, pneumatic tires and contact wheel-road/off-road, modeling vehicle subsystems, vehicle dynamics and active safety, man-vehicle interaction, intelligent vehicle systems, and road accident reconstruction and passive safety.
This fully updated edition presents practices and principles applicable for the reconstruction of automobile and commercial truck crashes. Like the First Edition, it starts at the very beginning with fundamental principles, information sources, and data gathering and inspection techniques for accident scenes and vehicles. It goes on to show how to analyze photographs and crash test data. The book presents tire fundamentals and shows how to use them in spreadsheet-based reverse trajectory analysis. Such methods are also applied to reconstructing rollover crashes. Impacts with narrow fixed objects are discussed. Impact mechanics, structural dynamics, and conservation-based reconstruction methods are presented. The book contains a comprehensive treatment of crush energy and how to develop structural stiffness properties from crash test data. Computer simulations are reviewed and discussed. Extensively revised, this edition contains new material on side pole impacts. It has entirely new chapters devoted to low-speed impacts, downloading electronic data from vehicles, deriving structural stiffness in side impacts, and incorporating electronic data into accident reconstructions
