Journal articles on the topic 'Automobiles Crash tests'

Currently, the most important objective in designing automobiles is to focus on environment-friendly and safety performance aspects. For the environment-friendly aspect, the issues relate to the shift towards lightweight automobile production, for improving fuel-efficiency and reducing exhaust fumes. However, in contrast, the issues of the safety performance such as crash safety, comfort level and muti-functional programs demand increase of automobile’s weight. Therefore, the design of automobile should be inclined towards the safety aspects, but at the same time, it also should consider reducing the structural weight of an automobile. In this study, for lightweight design of side member, CFRP side member was manufactured from CFRP unidirectional prepreg sheet. The stacking condition related to the energy absorption of composite materials, is being considered as an issue for the structural efficiency. Therefore, the axial collapse tests were performed with change of the stacking condition, such as fiber orientation angle and interlaminar number. The collapse modes and energy absorption characteristics were analyzed according to fiber orientation angle and interlaminar number.

Fibre reinforced plastics have tailorable and superior mechanical characteristics compared to metals and can be used to construct relevant components such as primary crash structures for automobiles. However, the absence of standardized methodologies to predict component level damage has led to their underutilization as compared to their metallic counterparts, which are used extensively to manufacture primary crash structures. This paper presents a methodology that uses crashworthiness results from in-plane impact tests, conducted on carbon-fibre reinforced epoxy flat plates, to tune the related material card in Radioss using two different parametric identification techniques: global and adaptive response search methods. The resulting virtual material model was then successfully validated by comparing the crushing behavior with results obtained from experiments that were conducted by impacting a Formula SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) crash box. Use of automated identification techniques significantly reduces the development time of composite crash structures, whilst the predictive capability reduces the need for component level tests, thereby making the development process more efficient, automated and economical, thereby reducing the cost of development using composite materials. This in turn promotes the development of vehicles that meet safety standards with lower mass and noxious gas emissions.

Development of environment-friendly materials to improve the safety and fuel efficiency of automobiles has attracted great research attention with regards to the automobile industry in recent years. With increase in demand for technological developments to improve performance and efficiency, an increased number of researches are being performed concerning the use of advanced high-strength steel in parts manufactured by means of the hot-press forming process. Furthermore, research concerning the improvement in fuel efficiency through additional weight reduction using tailor-welded blanks (TWBs) and partial quenching (PQ) has gained popularity in the automobile industry in recent times. Many car components are, nowadays, being fabricated using different materials to improve collision toughness and safety in the event of a car crash. However, no standard has yet been established to evaluate the replacement of automobile parts, and such a standard must account for mechanical properties of the material under tensile and flexural loadings. A car crash test was conducted at the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) to evaluate automobile safety. However, collision-toughness evaluation of each car component is expensive and difficult to realize. In this study, drop tests were simulated, and collision characteristics of the center-pillar were correspondingly evaluated. Values of fracture toughness were compared in accordance with center-pillar types for evaluating collision-test conditions.

Introduction: Motorcycles have become an increasingly popular mode of transportation despite their association with a greater risk for injury compared with automobiles. Whereas the recent incidence of annual passenger vehicle fatalities in the United States of America (USA) has progressively declined, motorcycle fatalities have steadily increased in the past 11 years. Although motorcycle injuries (MIs) have been studied, to the author’s knowledge there are no published reports on MIs in the USA during this 11-year period.Methods: Study data were derived from a prospectively collected Level I trauma center database. Data sampling included motorcycle crash injury evaluations for the 10-year period ending on 31 August 2008. This retrospective analysis included patient demographic and medical data, helmet use, Glasgow coma scale (GCS) score, injury severity score (ISS), length of hospital stay (LOS), specific injury diagnosis, and death. Data statistics were analyzed using the Spearman correlation coefficient, Kruskal-Wallis tests, and logistic regression.Results: The study identified 1252 motorcycle crash injuries. Helmets were worn by 40.7% of patients for which helmet data were available. The rates of the most common orthopedic injuries were tibia/fibula (19.01%), spine (16.21%), and forearm (10.14%) fractures. The most common non-orthopedic motorcycle crash injuries were concussions (21.09%), skull fractures (8.23%), face fractures (13.66%), and hemo- and pneumothorax (8.79%). There was a significant correlation between greater age and higher ISS (r=0.21, P<0.0001) and longer LOS (r=0.22, P<0.0001). Older patients were also less likely to wear a helmet (OR=0.99, 95% CI: 0.98, 0.997), associated with a significantly higher risk for death (after adjustment for helmet use OR=1.03, 95% CI: 1.00, 1.05). All patients without helmets had a significantly lower GCS score (P=0.0001) and a higher mortality rate (after adjustment for patient demographic data OR=2.28, 95% CI: 1.13, 4.58). Conclusion: Compared with historical reports, the prevalence of skull, face, spine, and pelvis fractures have increased in American motorcycle crashes. Compared to recent European studies, the incidence of USA skull and face fractures is much higher, while the incidence of USA spine and pelvis fractures is more comparable; however, this is not associated with increased in-hospital mortality.

Automotive manufacturers rely on rigorous testing and simulations to construct their vehicles durable and safe in all aspects. One such vital factor is crash safety, otherwise known as crashworthiness. Crash tests are conventional forms of non-destructive methods to validate the vehicle for its crashworthiness and compatibility based on different operating conditions. The frontal impact test is the most primary form of crash test, which focuses on improving passenger's safety and comfort. According to NHTSA, a vehicle is rated based on these safety criteria, for which automobile manufacturers conduct a plethora of crash-related studies. Numerical simulation aids them in cutting down testing time and overall cost endured by providing a reliable amount of insights into the process. The current study is aimed at improving the crashworthiness of a crash box in a lightweight passenger car, such that it becomes more energy absorbent in terms of frontal impacts. All necessary parameters such as energy absorption, mean crush force, specific energy absorption, crush force efficiencies are evaluated based on analytical and finite element methods. There was a decent agreement between the analytical and simulation results, with an accuracy of 97%. The crashworthiness of the crash box was improved with the help of DOE-based response surface methodology (RSM). The RSM approach helped in improving the design of the crash box with enhanced EA & CFE by 30% and 8.8% respectively. The investigation of design variables on the energy absorption capacity of the thin-walled structure was also done. For the axial impact simulations, finite element solver Virtual Performance Solution − Pam Crash from the ESI group is used.

ASEAN New Car Assessment Program (ASEAN NCAP) is a newly established automobile safety rating program in the Southeast Asia region, which the primary objective is to provide consumers with vehicle safety information and concurrently acknowledge manufacturers’ effort in elevating vehicle safety level. This information is comprehensively gathered through scientific and objective testing procedures in full scale crash test simulation. To ensure consistency and high repeatability, ASEAN NCAP operates standardized test and assessment protocols which utilize high-tech equipment and sensors, data acquisition system and also human surrogates (instrumented “dummies”). A point system is derived for marking purposes and a star rating scheme is designed to reflect the level of safety afforded to occupants. To cater for variation in crash configurations, occupants’ sizes and kinematics as well as other potential risks during crash impacts, a point deduction system (penalty-based) named as “modifiers” were introduced. Hence, this work attempts to describe the modifiers, their basis and justifications for inclusion in the safety rating scheme. A few case studies are demonstrated in this paper to enhance the understandings of modifiers concept.

Vehicle crash optimization is a representative non-linear dynamic response structural optimization that utilizes highly non-linear vehicle crash analysis in the time domain. In the automobile industries, crash optimization is employed to enhance the crashworthiness characteristics. The equivalent-static-loads method has been developed for such non-linear dynamic response structural optimization. The equivalent static loads are the static loads that generate the same displacement field in linear static analysis as those of non-linear dynamic analysis at a certain time step, and the equivalent static loads are imposed as external loads in linear static structural optimization. In this research, the conventional equivalent-static-loads method is expanded to the crash management system with regard to the frontal-impact test and a full-scale vehicle for a side-impact crash test. Crash analysis frequently considers unsupported systems which do not have boundary conditions and where adjacent structures do not penetrate owing to contact. Since the equivalent-static-loads method uses linear static response structural optimization, boundary conditions are required, and the impenetrability condition cannot be directly considered. To overcome the difficulties, a problem without boundary conditions is solved by using the inertia relief method. Thus, relative displacements with respect to a certain reference point are used in linear static response optimization. The impenetrability condition in non-linear analysis is transformed to the impenetrability constraints in linear static response optimization.

Based on the coupling of PC-Crash program and MADYMO software, thekinematics laws of pedestrian in the contact process for automobile-pedestrian collision are analyzed through modeling and simulation by establishing vehicle model and pedestrian model, and selecting main influencing factors on contact phase as independent variables for simulation tests.

How to improve the collision process of safety performance has become one of the most important issue in the automobile manufacturing enterprises. This paper using LS-DYNA made a security analyses about former girders, based in half vehicle model, analyzing the security of the front side member to reflect the vehicle’s performance. At the same time, through the front side member’s assembly structure’s contrast with the modified ones, the result has proved the improvement is more effective.

During the last decades, high manganese steels (HMnS) were considered as promising materials for crash-relevant automobile components due to their extraordinary energy absorption capability in tensile tests. However, in the case of a crash, the specific energy, absorbed by folding of a crash box, is lower for HMnS as compared to the dual phase steel DP800. This behavior is related to the fact that the crash box hardly takes advantage of the high plastic formability of a recrystallized HMnS during deformation. It was revealed that with the help of an alternative heat treatment after cold rolling, the strength of HMnS could be increased for low strains to achieve a crash behavior comparable to DP800. In this work, a multi-scale finite element simulation approach was used to analyze the crash behavior of different material conditions of an HMnS. The crash behavior was evaluated under consideration of material efficiency and passenger safety criteria to identify the ideal material condition and sheet thickness for crash absorption by folding. The proposed simulation methodology reduces the experimental time and effort for crash box design. As a result of increasing material strength, the simulation exhibits a possible weight reduction of the crash box, due to thickness reduction, up to 35%.

Car bumpers can deform to absorb impact energy. For static and modal analysis, a Benz vehicle bumper was used. These analyses used a variety of bumper materials, including glass-mat thermoplastic, aluminium alloy, and mild steel with chromium plating (GMT). The majority of modern cars have bumpers composed of PC/ABS, a material blend of polycarbonate (PC) and Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS). PETG, ABS, and TPU. The deformation and strains grow as the car's speed rises from 55 km/hr to 90 km/hr, according to the static study. At a car speed of 75 km/h, the deformation and stress in the automobile bumper were at their highest. It was found through the static analysis that the stress values for PP material were lower.

The crashworthiness of an automobile bumper plays a vital role in overall vehicle safety. Energy absorption efficiency, as well as predictable and stable performance, are the most demanding features in the design of the bumper system. To this end, this paper presents a series of innovative bumper designs using built-in origami patterns. Also, we outline a numerical framework for evaluating the energy absorption performance of a bumper when subjected to an impact loading. Comparative analyses on full frontal and 40% offset frontal impact tests are conducted numerically for both low and high-speed scenarios. It is found that the designed failure modes are successfully triggered and followed during the collision process for the combined origami beam-origami crash box design. Most importantly, this optimal design could absorb 31.5% more energy than the conventional bumper.

Side impact crash test simulates a road crash wherein the side of a vehicle is being impacted, either perpendicularly or at an angle, by the front-end of another vehicle of about similar mass. In Malaysia, this crash configuration is the second leading cause of fatality and injury in road crashes after frontal collision. Extensive research have been carried out worldwide in order to mitigate occupant injury in side impact collision through provision of side impact protection system in vehicle such as side impact airbags and side door bars. As a result, various global regulations and consumer test requirements concerning side impacts have been established to evaluate the effectiveness of the said protection system. Recently, the Malaysian government has implemented the United Nation’s regulation pertaining to side impact protection (UN Regulation 95) for new passenger vehicles in the country. Hence, as a newly established automobile safety rating programme in the region, the ASEAN New Car Assessment Programme (ASEAN NCAP) has a plan in the pipeline to implement UN R95 side impact crash test tentatively in its future assessment scheme. A mobile deformable barrier (MDB) was developed as a preparation towards implementing the ASEAN NCAP’s side impact crashworthiness evaluation. This paper describes characteristics and requirements of the UN R95 as well as the development of the MDB according to the regulation. Several tests and improvements were conducted to ensure the MDB is reliable and having high repeatability for testing.

Various techniques can be applied to center pillars to enhance collision characteristics during side crashes. For instance, patchwork (PW) can be welded to the center pillar to increase its stiffness, and partial softening (PS) can be applied to provide ductility. Side crash tests are conducted by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) to evaluate collision resistance. However, it is difficult to evaluate collision toughness and energy distribution flow for each automobile component. In this study, a side crash simulation was performed with IIHS instruction. We investigated the effect of hot press forming (HPF) a center pillar with a combination of PW and PS techniques on collision toughness and energy distribution flow. As a result, the role of PW and PS techniques were verified during side crashes. PW improved the strain energy and intrusion displacement by 10% and 7.5%, respectively, and PS improved the plastic deformation energy and intrusion displacement by 10%. When PW and PS were applied to the HPF center pillar simultaneously, a synergistic effect was achieved.

Generally, the crash box on automobile vehicles is a thin-walled structure with a square cross-section. The majority of research was carried out for a long time to find the optimum crashworthiness indicator. In this study, numerical simulations and experimental tests are used to investigate the effect of the corner radius of a square cross-section thin-walled structure on crashworthiness indicators. Quasi-static analysis with mild steel material produces the mean force (Pm) error value is less than 3% while varying the corner radius ranging from zero to 1 mm, 2 mm, and 3 mm shows energy absorption (EA) and peak force (Pmax) decreased. Keyword: Thin-walled square tube, Mild steel, Numerical simulation, Experimental test, Crashworthiness indicators.

For study of car-pedestrian crashes, it is two common methods that can be employed: conducting crash tests with mechanical dummies and simulating car crashes on computer. The former is a traditional way and gives good results compared with real life car impact; however, its disadvantage is very expensive test equipment and generally more time-consuming than the latter because after every crash test, experimental vehicles as well as dummies need repairing to be ready for the next experiments. Therefore, crash test simulation using finite-element method is more and more popular in the automobile industry because of its feasibility and cost saving. The majority of finite element dummy models used in crash simulation. Particularly, it is popular to use Hybrid III 50th dummy model which is built based on fiftieth percentile male (equal in height and weight of the average North American). Thus, it is necessary to develop a scaling algorithm to scale a reference dummy size into a desired one without rebuilding the entire model. In this paper, the Hybrid III dummy model provided by LS-DYNA software is scaled to suit Vietnamese biomechanical characteristics. Scaling algorithm comprises dummy geometry, inertial properties and joint properties is utilized. In order to estimate level of head injury – brain concussion by using numerical simulation, the correlation between Head Injury Criterion (HIC) and Abbreviated Injury Scale (AIS) is introduced. In addition, the Hybrid III dummy model in crashworthiness simulation is presented in key frame picture. Numerical simulation approach is validated by comparing results of head acceleration and HIC obtain from this study with experimental data and numerical simulation results in other publication

This paper deals with evaluation of n strain hardening exponent and C material constant at various velocities of the strain rate according to EN 10002-1. Dependence of tensile stress on elongation is carried out at INSTRON shredder in digital form and it is directly introduced into MATLAB working environment. To determine these material parameters suitable material models (Krupkowsky model) and MATLAB programming pack, mainly its Curve Fitting toolbox, which provides the library of standard linear, nonlinear and nonparametric models (e.g. polynomial, rational, etc.), are used. At automobile crash tests kinetic energy conversion into energy of deformation (where it is necessary to know n, C) is theoretically calculated at certain velocities so that the solid parts of the car body would be protected from damage. It would be the best to compare correctness of those calculations to the test carried out at a real model or by simulation created on the computer with necessary software equipment.

An explicit finite element method was used to study the neck load and the contact force between an occupant and an airbag during an out-of-position frontal automobile crash. Two different folding patterns and two different mounting angles of the airbag were simulated. For the four cases simulated, the occupant’s neck axial force ranged from 156 to 376% of the data obtained from in-position sled tests using the Hybrid III dummy. The neck shear force ranged from 87 to 229% and the neck flexion moment ranged from 68 to 127% of in-position experimental results. In both 300 mounting angle simulations, the neck axial forces were higher than that of the two simulations with 00 mounting angles, but the trend for the neck shear force was the opposite. Although the kinematics of the model appear reasonable, the numbers generated by the model must be reviewed with great caution because the model has not been fully validated.

The age of algorithms is here, and it is really changing people’s lives. More and more ethical problems related to algorithms have attracted people’s attention, but the related ethical research is still far behind the research of algorithms. As more intelligent algorithms emerge in an endless stream, there will also be a lot of algorithmic ethical issues. On the other hand, with the continuous improvement of the development level of the automobile industry, people have a stronger demand for the safety and stability of modern transportation, and more and more autonomous driving technology has been promoted and applied in the market. At present, most of the studies on the longitudinal collision avoidance system of vehicles use collision warning or emergency braking to avoid collision. However, when the vehicle is in a special situation such as high speed and slippery road, emergency steering is more effective. In order to further improve the vehicle safety and ethical algorithm design points, this article revolves around vehicle lateral active collision avoidance control method research, the collision avoidance decision-making, and path planning and collision avoidance transverse vehicle longitudinal motion control is analyzed, and based on automated driving simulation experiment, the tests carried out to verify the designed control strategy. The experimental results show that the proposed method not only has a good effect of preventing automatic driving collision but also can meet the requirements of algorithm ethics. This research can effectively guide the research of algorithmic ethics in the field of autonomous driving and effectively reduce the occurrence of traffic accidents.

For many years, containment for errant racing vehicles traveling on oval speedways has been provided through rigid, concrete containment walls placed around the exterior of the track. However, accident experience has shown that serious injuries and fatalities may occur through vehicular impacts into these nondeformable barriers. Because of these injuries, the Indy Racing League and the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, later joined by the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR), sponsored the development of a new barrier system by the Midwest Roadside Safety Facility at the University of Nebraska–Lincoln to improve the safety of drivers participating in automobile racing events. Several barrier prototypes were investigated and evaluated using both static and dynamic component testing, computer simulation modeling with LS-DYNA (a nonlinear finite element analysis code), and 20 full-scale vehicle crash tests. The full-scale crash testing program included bogie vehicles, small cars, and a full-size sedan, as well as Indy Racing League open-wheeled cars and NASCAR Winston Cup cars. A combination steel tube skin and foam energy-absorbing barrier system, referred to as the SAFER (steel and foam energy reduction) barrier, was successfully developed. Subsequently, the SAFER barrier was installed at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in advance of the running of the 2002 Indianapolis 500 race. From the results of the laboratory testing program as well as analysis of the accidents into the SAFER barrier occurring during practice, qualification, and the race, the SAFER barrier has been shown to provide improved safety for drivers impacting the outer walls.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to apply firm aspiration theory to explore how firms respond to government product ratings. Design/methodology/approach Longitudinal examination of nine automobile manufacturers during National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration crash tests in the USA. Findings Firms take specific external actions to influence the political mechanisms that support ranking schemes when product ratings are below those of rivals and when previously highly rated products decline. In addition, firms receiving rankings above those of their competitors are found to be less likely to take such action, even when their overall ratings declined. Similarly, firms seeing improvements in previously low-rated products will take fewer actions aimed at influencing the political mechanisms that support rating schemes. Originality/value The primary contribution of this research is in establishing when firm product ratings will result in actions to influence external ratings criteria. Previous research has shown that firms respond to organizational ratings by taking action aimed at improving subsequent performance. The current research builds on such work by applying aspiration theory in an effort to predict and explain when and why certain ratings will attract firm attention to the external mechanisms that support such ratings.

Motorists driving at night are two to three times more likely to be involved in a crash than during the day. Although, about half of the motor vehicle deaths occur at night, death rates based on miles driven are about four times higher at night than during the day. Nighttime driving also frustrates a large number of people, the majority of which are seniors. There is an effort under way to evaluate the use of supplemental ultraviolet (UV) automobile headlights to increase nighttime visibility. Research conducted in Sweden has shown very promising results, and a preliminary field research effort recently completed in the United States found that the visibility of pavement markings increased 25 percent with UV, and subjects generally favored its use. An extensive field study was conducted to determine the conditions under which driver performance could be improved with fluorescent traffic control devices and auxiliary UV headlights. Several static tests were done to evaluate fluorescent pavement markings, post-mounted delineators, and various pedestrian scenes under two headlight conditions (low beam only and low beam with UV). Dynamic tests included a subjective evaluation of two headlamp conditions and a performance test in which subjects drove an instrumented vehicle. The results of the field study indicated that pavement markings could be observed 30 percent further, and pedestrians could be observed over 90 percent further with the addition of UV. Subjects consistently evaluated the use of UV headlamps as beneficial.

In automobile accidents, abdominal injuries are often life-threatening yet not apparent at the time of initial injury. The liver is the most commonly injured abdominal organ from this type of trauma. In contrast to current safety tests involving crash dummies, a more detailed, efficient approach to predict the risk of human injuries is computational modelling and simulations. Further, the development of accurate computational human models requires knowledge of the mechanical properties of tissues in various stress states, especially in high-impact scenarios. In this study, a polymeric split-Hopkinson pressure bar (PSHPB) was utilized to apply various high strain rates to porcine liver tissue to investigate its material behavior during high strain rate compression. Liver tissues were subjected to high strain rate impacts at 350, 550, 1000, and 1550 s−1. Tissue directional dependency was also explored by PSHPB testing along three orthogonal directions of liver at a strain rate of 350 s−1. Histology of samples from each of the three directions was performed to examine the structural properties of porcine liver. Porcine liver tissue showed an inelastic and strain rate-sensitive response at high strain rates. The liver tissue was found lacking directional dependency, which could be explained by the isotropic microstructure observed after staining and imaging. Furthermore, finite element analysis (FEA) of the PSHPB tests revealed the stress profile inside liver tissue and served as a validation of PSHPB methodology. The present findings can assist in the development of more accurate computational models of liver tissue at high-rate impact conditions allowing for understanding of subfailure and failure mechanisms.

The objective of this study was to identify the most salient driver faults that cause crashes on some Jordanian rural and suburban roadway segments, to examine crashes with distracted driving as the driver’s fault, and to investigate the differences between crashes caused by distracted driving. Data for more than 10,200 crashes on nine roadway segments (five rural and four suburban) were accessed from the relevant government agency, but only n = 2472 were used for analysis after controlling for crashes specified as being caused by drivers’ distracted driving. IBM SPSS version 22 was used to perform descriptive analysis and independent samples’ t-tests. The results revealed that distracted driving was the second most common driver fault to cause crashes and the second main cause of fatalities and injuries on both rural and suburban roadways. Distracted driving on rural highways appears to be more fatal, whereas it caused more crashes with severe injuries on suburban roads. The variables at junction, road grade, number of lanes, weather condition, crash type, and number of vehicles involved were found to be statistically significant but with a small effect size. The following categories showed high percentages of distracted driving crashes on rural and suburban roadways: males, drivers 25–39 years old, non-holidays, weekdays, tangent sections, two-way divided roads, not at junction, level roads, two-lane roads, clear weather, dry surface, daylight, and automobile vehicles showed high percentages of distracted driving crashes on rural and suburban roadways. Differences between crashes on rural and suburban roadways caused by distracted driving were found to be small.

Purpose This study aims to examine conditions in which firm political market performance is associated with firm efforts to influence regulatory outcomes. Applying measures of political market performance based on firm performance in government enforcement actions and a firm’s ability to obtain favorable political outcomes, the authors make the case that political market performance is a key part of competitive political markets, which is associated with particular types of firm efforts to influence policy. Design/methodology/approach Longitudinal examination of nine automobile manufacturers during National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration crash tests reveals that firm performance in government enforcement activities is associated with greater efforts to cooperate with political suppliers, while declining firm performance in efforts to influence political outcomes is associated with increased firm opposition to political supplier actions. Findings Firm performance in government enforcement activities is associated with greater efforts to cooperate with political suppliers, while declining firm performance in efforts to influence political outcomes is associated with increased firm opposition to political supplier actions. Research limitations/implications Performance in regulatory enforcement results in increased firm actions to engage regulators in the policy-making process, while performance in obtaining desired policy outcomes is associated with a greater focus on opposition to proposed standards. These results suggest that political demanders can take deliberate actions to either engage or oppose supplier actions based on political market performance. Originality/value The primary contribution of this research is to begin to examine the implications of performance dynamics within political markets. Adding the construct of political market performance to the political markets framework reveals that variations in political market performance can be associated with specific types of corporate political activity.

Within the past decades tailored welded blanks have become a key product for the construction of lightweight automotive bodies. Following the principle of applying material only where it is really needed results in an improved stiffness and crash worthiness of the body-in-white, while at the same time weight and production costs may be reduced. An alternative to the concept of tailored blanks is the so-called patchwork blank technique. The principle of patchwork blanks is to add a flat piece of sheet metal onto the main blank in the areas where reinforcements are required. The assembly can be done by adhesive bonding, resistance spot welding or laser welding prior to forming. The major benefits of this technique in comparison to tailored blanks are the abolition of cutting operations and a high flexibility regarding the shape and position of the reinforcement. Even if there is a big application potential for patchwork blanks in automobile production, practical realisation of this innovative technique is hindered due to a lack of knowledge regarding the formability of patchwork blanks. In this study the formability of laser welded patchwork blanks is investigated by means of experimental trials and finite element analysis. In order to simulate accurately the forming processes of patchwork blanks using finite element analysis, knowledge about the characteristics of the weld metal, including the weld bead and the heat affected zone, is essential. Microhardness measurements have been applied to analyse the heat affected zone and to determine its lateral dimensions. The constitutive behaviour of the weld metal has been investigated by uniaxial tensile tests with a special sample geometry. The results obtained from these experimental investigations have been used to define different modelling techniques for the finite element analysis of patchwork blank forming processes. It can be shown that the consideration of the modified material properties along the weld seam leads to an improvement of the accuracy of the numerical calculation.

Biosurfactants are natural substances produced by several bacterial and fungal organisms that are amphiphilic and are extracellular (a part of the cell membrane). Biosurfactants can reduce the stress between solids and liquids on the surface and at the end. Biosurfactants have several properties, i.e. they are stable, less harmful, as well as readily degradable, and extremely eco-friendly. Biosurfactants also have a wide range of industrial uses because they are a versatile category of chemical substances. The principal justification for conducting such research was the isolation of possible biosurfactants containing bacteria. Sampling was performed for the isolation of bacteria producing biosurfactants from different oil-polluted sites That is to say, experiment for emulsification, test for oil spreading, test for drop collapse, and measure for hemolysis. The capability to produce biosurfactants was seen in 22 different isolates from polluted sites B1, B2, and B3. Through different biochemical tests and Gram staining, it was identified that isolated bacterial strains are Pseudomonas spp and that is Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The procedure used as characterizing biosurfactants was the TLC plate’s procedure, by using TLC plates process yellow dots emerged after spraying on silica gel plates with an throne and ninhydrin reagents. These yellow spots confirmed the presence and production of rhamnolipid in the biosurfactant. Hence, it was concluded that identified strains in the study can be helpful in the heavy metals, pesticides, and hydrocarbons bio-degradation and bioremediation. These may also be used as biological control agents to protect plants from various pathogens, resulting in improved crop yields. Introduction Biosurfactants are natural substances produced by several bacterial and fungal organisms that are amphiphilic and are extracellular (a part of the cell membrane) (Chen et al., 2007; Ghayyomiet al., 2012). Main purpose of the bio-surfactantsgeneration or production is a consequence of financial availability (Van Dyke et al., 1993 It is reported that almost 50 percent of the world's surfactants are used because of the need for cleaning agents as well as the rate of growth grows every day (Deleu and Paquot, 2004). Appropriate use of bio-surfactants will control environmental emissions what these are the most dangerous, constantly rising gradually and disrupting the routine maintenance of life every day. Awareness campaign initiatives have been introduced and also increase for environmental laws, various innovative approaches need to be implemented and even the issue of pollution focused entirely. Developing appropriate advanced technologies to help clear up chemicals and toxins from the ecosystem, like hydrocarbons (both inorganic and organic). Studies on biosurfactants are being launched by scholars and researchers with significant health issues like adverse environmental effects, air contamination, environmental change, and waste management (Makkar and Cameotra, 2002 Biosurfactants contribute to expanded demand for such microbial products as alternatives to chemical surfactants (Benatet al., 2000). Microbes seem to have the capability to degrade contaminants, but their biodegradation is limited leading to hydrophobicity, low solubility in water, and inadequate bioavailability, of such pollutants (Patil, et al., 2012). GhayyomiJazeh, Mishraet. al (2001) those bacteria that produce biosurfactants were isolated from the site of petroleum spills and afterward, 160 strains and as well as 59 strains were able to produce biosurfactants have shown better performance in a test for hemolysis of blood, and 45 strains with positive findings within oil spread experiment were applied in the laboratory to isolate and segregate the media cultured Banat process (Rahman et al., 2002) These were observed and researched that biosurfactants of Pseudomonas aeruginosa spp are most likely to disrupt the bonding of hydrocarbons like nonadecane, octa, Hexa, and hepta, in marine Water contaminated with oil spills up To approximately 47%, 53%, 73% and 60%(Abrar et al., 2020). Current study concluded that the isolated strain having the ability to degrade hydrocarbon as well as the ability to degrade the heavy metal. The strain also can protect the plant from various diseases. The present research found that the isolated strain is capable of degrading hydrocarbon while also being capable of degrading the heavy metal. As well as the strain does have the capability to defend plants from different diseases. Material And Methods Area of Study The investigation was conducted at HazaraUniversity(HU) Microbiology Laboratory, MansehraPakistan. Assemblage of Samples Thehomestay area of the city Mansehra Pakistan which is named as a township, where oil spills arose, oil spills soil samples were obtained as well as sampling from various Mansehra automobile workshops were also done. Sterilized bags of polythene were being used to collect samples of the soil, after thatthe sample was taken towards the Hazara University (HU) Mansehra Microbiology Laboratory to examine and extract bacterial strains that could develop biosurfactants. The soil temperature at the time of sample selection was around 30 ° C. The pH was also verified by Galvano science companies at the time of selection by pH meter, and the pH being reported was 7. Preparation of Media 15 x 100 mm Petri dishes were being used to prepare the media. Agar plates were thoroughly cleaned with water from the tap and then carefully covered in aluminum foil following cleaning then placed within autoclave at 121°C for about 15 min at 15 psi for sterilization. The nutrient agar which contains 0.5% NaCl, 0.3% beef extract, 0.5% peptone, and 1.5% agar, in 500 ml of distilled water, 14 g of the nutrient agar media (Merck) were dissolved. The nutrient level used mainly for the production of non-fastidious species. Nutrient agar is widely known as it's capable of growing a variety of bacteria types and provides nutrients required for the growth of bacteria. Upon sufficient dissolution of such nutrient agar in distilled water, these were then sterilized by autoclaving for 15 min at 15 psi in the autoclave and held at 121 °C Upon autoclaving, pouring of the media was done in laminar flow hood, and then packed and placed for yet more use in a fridge at 4°C. 2.4 Preparation of serial dilution The bacteria are isolated using the serial dilution process. During this process, 10 test tubes were taken and distilled water (9ml) was added in each tube. After that tubes were put for 15 minutes in the autoclave machine at 121°C. After that 1gm of a crude oil sample from the soil was added in a test tube containing distilled water. Further, 1 ml of the solution was taken from the first test tube and poured to the adjoining tubes for the preparation dilution as under . Afterward, 10μl of the solution was pipetted from both the dilution of and shifted for spread culture techniques, then incubated the plates at 37°C for 48hrs. Biosurfactants extraction Firstly, in nutrient broth solution theculture of bacteria was added and inoculated with oil, the bacterial colony was then incubated at the temperature of 25°C in a shaking incubator just for 7 days. Incubation after seven days of trembling. Thebacterial Crop was then taken and centrifuged at 5000rpm at temperature 4°C for 20minutes. Following centrifugation, the supernatant was collected and then mixed in the equivalent amount in Methanol: Chloroform. White sediment was then retained and collected for further use . Bacterial Colonies Isolation 1 g of the soil polluted with oil was diluted serially up to 106 dilutions.10 μl of 104 and 106 dilutions for spread culture were transferred to the MSM agar plates and nutrient agar. The plates were then incubated at 37°C for 48hrs. Twenty-two morphologically separate colonies were separated for further specific examination just after the incubation and processed by using the technique of streak plate. Screening of Isolates’ Biosurfactants Behavior To check the activity of biosurfactants produced by the bacterial species the following methods of screening were done. Hemolytic Activity of Biosurfactants for Erythrocytes Blood agar containing 5% of blood was prepared as after the fresh isolates were added and inoculated on blood agar plates, then the plates were taken and placed in the incubator at temperature 37°C for 48hrs (Rashediet al., 2005). Thereafter the observation of clear zone in the colonies indicated the existence of bacterial species that produce biosurfactants. This experiment was undertaken to control the ability of isolated bacteria to induce blood agar hemolysis. Three forms of hemolysis usually involve; alpha, beta, and hemolysis of the gamma. The agar underneath the species is dark greenish, then it is Alpha, the yellowish color produced in beta hemolysis and gamma hemolysis does not affect the bacterial sppwhichadded on the plates (Anandaraj and Thivakaran, 2010). Bio-surfactant identification with process of CTAB MSM (Mineral salt agar medium) with (2%) of glucose serving both as carbon source, (0.5 mg / ml) acetyl-tri-methyl-ammonium-bromide (CTAB), and methylene blue (MB: 0.2 mg/ml) are used to detect anionic bio-surfactants (Satpute et al., 2008). For this method, thirty microliters (30μl) of cell-free supernatant were added to each of the wells of the methylene blue agar plate that comprises of borer (4 mm in diameter). after that, the incubation of the plates was done for 48-72 hrs at 37°C. Just after incubation in each of the wells, a dark blue halo zone was being used to show the successful anionic bio-surfactant production. Table 1: Composition of MSM Media S. No Ingredients Amount (gm/L) I Potassium dihydrogen phosphate (KH2PO4) II Magnesium Sulfate (MgSO4) III Iron Sulfate (FeSO4) IV Sodium Nitrate (NaNO3) V Calcium Chloride (CaCl2) VI Ammonium Sulfate (NH4)2SO4 Technique for Spreading of Oil A sufficient number of isolated bacteria were inoculated into a solution of 100ml nutrient broth. Over 3 days, the culture was incubated at 37 ° C in a rotating shaker incubator (150 rpm). After that biosurfactants synthesis was checked in culture suspensions (Priya and Usharani, 2009; Anandaraj and Thivakaran, 2010). For this process, thirty milliliters (30ml) of distilled water was added in a Petri dish. In the middle of the distilled water, 1 milliliter (1ml) of diesel oil was added, and then a centrifuged twenty microliter (20μl) culture was introduced to the middle of a plate, which was isolated from oil spilled soil or local oily groundwater. The species producing the bio-surfactant displace the hydrocarbons and disperse it even in the water. Then it was calculated and analyzed within 1 mint (Ali et al., 2013). Technique for Drop collapse In this process, 96-wellsformed in each of the plates of nutrient agar. Afterwards, all the 96-wells of microliter plates was then filled withmineral oil of about 2ml. Then stabilized the plate at 37oC for 1 hour, after which the oil surface was filled with 5μl of supernatant culture. Therefore, the drop shape was taken to be observed on the oil surface after 1min. The drop which was collapsed, generated by the supernatant culture which is used to signify positive(+ive) outcome and the drops which stayed the same and displayed no changeindicates negative(-ive) outcome. And was taking distilled water as a control(Plaza et al., 2006). Emulsification index The emulsification index was calculated, as stated by the process followed by Cooper and Goldenberg (1981) In this process, 2 ml of kerosene oil was taken and inserted in each of the test tubes to the same amount of cell-free supernatant, and then homogenized for 2 min in a vortex at high speed and allowed for 24 hours to stand. The emulsification steadiness was then determined after the 24 hours, and the emulsification value was estimated by measuring the emulsified layer height by the total liquid layer height, then multiplied by 100. Quantification for the Dry weight of Biosurfactants The bacterial colony was inserted and inoculated in the nutrient broth medium, followed by oil and centrifuged at 5000rpm and after that, the supernatant was clutched and treated with chloroform and methanol and mixed. The white colored deposits were taken and used for the furtherprocess of dry weight. Afterwards, took the clean Petri plate and determined the empty plate weight. Next, the sediment was poured onto Petri plates. Now, for the drying process the hot air oven was used and set the 100ºC of temperature for 30minutes and the plates were put in the oven. After the drying process, the plates were weighted again. The dry weight was calculated for the biosurfactants using the formula which described below: Selected strains Identification and their characterization Instead, various basic biochemical methods were used to identify the isolated bacterial strains. Various biochemical tests, such as Gram staining, Oxidase test, Urease test.Catalase test, Methyl red test, Motility test, Indole test, Starch hydrolysis, Citrate test, Spore staining, Gelatin hydrolysis. Then afterwards, for the preliminary characterization of the biosurfactant, the thin layer chromatography process was used. Physical characterization of the strains selected Gram staining First, on the slide, using the wire loop the bacterial pure culture was taken, and smear was prepared on the slide, and then a drop of purified water was applied. Then, the sterile loop or needle was correctly mixed the bacterial colony and purified water, then mixed up until it is somewhat turbid. Then, spirit lamp was used to fixed the bacterial smear on slide and cooled to room temperature. With this glass slide was loaded with solution of crystal violet and stood for 1minute anddistilled water was applied on slide. Meanwhile the slide was submerged for 1 minute with the iodine solution, and then flushed and rinsed with water. Therefore, decolorizer of about 1 to 2 drops(5 percent acetone and 95 percent alcohol) were added to the slide’s smear and stand for 30seconds, and then treated with water. After then slide was rinsed with safranin for 60seconds, and then treated with water anddry in air. Microscopic analysis was done with 100x objective lenses using emersion oil on smear. Cell morphology The isolates of the bacterial cell were gram stained on slides and then the slides were observed under the light microscope, showing the shape and color of the cells. Biochemical characterization of the selected strains Catalase test Aim of this study is to identify, evaluate and examine that, whether or not the microbes are capable of producing catalase enzymes, while catalase is a protective enzyme, i.e. catalase has the potential to protect against the lethal chemicals known as (H2O2). In this study a bacterial culture that was clarified overnight was used. This culture has been smeared on a glass slide, and 3 percent hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) has been applied and observed on smear. Effects have been observed for bubble formation. Citrate test This study was performed to check the amount or ingest the citrate as the carbon and energy supply for growth and metabolism. Medium containing bromothymol blue and sodium citrate as pH indicator, bacterial was introduced. Ammonium chloride is also present in this medium used as a nitrogen source. Results were noted with variations of color from green to blue. Urease test The capability of urease enzyme for degrading urea was calculated in this bacterial capacity test. Bacterial culture was taken and inoculated for 48 hours at 37 ° C in urease broth, and then color was observed. Methyl red test Through using the process known as mixed acid fermentation which is used to evaluate the bacteria's acid production. The bacterial culture was taken and introduced in the broth of MR-VP and then incubated for 3days at a temperature of 37°C. Two (2) to three (3) drops of Methyl red were added in the broth medium after the incubation period. The change in broth color was observed for final results after a few seconds. Indole test Through using the process to assess the bacteria 's capability to crash indole from tryptophane molecules. After the 24 hours of incubated, taken the fresh inoculum of bacteria and then inserted into the tryptone medium, 24 hours of incubation of about 30oC, 2ml of the tryptone broth medium was added into a sterile test tube. Kovac's reagent was taken to be added (few drops) in sterile test tube and stimulated for a few minutes, and variations of color were detected. Gelatin test It is the approach assess to figure out the use of enzymes known as gelatins from bacterial organisms that precipitate the gelatin. Fresh inoculum of bacteria was taken after 24 hours, and inserted into the media of gelatin agar. This was incubated for around 24 hours, so the temperature did not exceed 30 ° C. Media was observed after incubation time. Starch hydrolysis Several of the micro-organisms that use the starch as a carbon energysource. Therefore, this method has been used to assess whether or not bacteria may use starch as a source of carbon. The bacterial fresh inoculum was spread on the petri starch agar plates, and after that the plate was incubated for 24 hours andmaintained the temperature at 30 to 35 ° C, then gradually applying the supplements of iodine to the plates to flow the change, and then examining the plates. Preliminary characterization of the strains selected Experimental characterization of the bio-surfactant was performed by using the process of TLC (Anandaraj et al., 2010). On a silica gel plate, crude portion of the rudimentary bio-surfactant was separated using Methanol: Chloroform: water (CH3OH: CHCl3: H2O) in the ratio of as an eluent with a different color producing reagents. Ninhydrin reagent (0.5 g ninhydrin in 100ml anhydrous acetone) was used to find bio-surfactant lipopeptide as red spots and anthrone reagent (1 g anthrone in 5ml sulfuric acid combined with 95ml ethanol) as yellow spots to identify rhamnolipid bio-surfactant (Yin et al., 2008). Results and Discussion Isolation of bacteria At first, twenty-two (22) strains from a polluted soil sample were isolated from nutrient agar media.Mixed culture provided by these colonies, so they were taken and smeared on the plates of nutrient agar and then fresh inoculum was collected and stored at temperature of 4oC for the further analysis. Bio-surfactants (surface-active compounds)are formed by a variety of amphiphilic bacterial and fungal organisms that are extracellular (a part of the cellular membrane) (Chen et al., 2007). Screening of Isolated strains for biosurfactant producing colonies Different experiments were carried out to identify, isolate and screen bacteria that are capable of generating bio-surfactants and that is Oil spreading technique(OST), blood hemolysis test(BHT), CTAB test, Emulsification operation. There were twenty-two distinct isolates observed in the current research. And the B1, B2 and B3culture were taken and selected from the twenty-two (22) strains isolated from the polluted spot, which were found to produce biosurfactant. And the oil spreading technique showed promising results for these strains. And strain B2 showed a greater displacement of oil and this is 4 mm. Oil spreading method is quick and often easy to handle, and this technique requires no particular equipment, only a very small amount of sample is used. This approach can be applied when the production and quantity of biosurfactant is small (Plaza et al., 2006) and (Youssef et al., 2004) Only bacterial cultures have been allocated and screened for bacterial species that can generate or use biosurfactants. Just three (3) strainsamong them presented the best results.Those 3 strain,s (B1, B2 and B3) were selected as an additional analysis. Blood hemolysis test On the petri plates of blood agar, the . Isolated bacteriaof B1, B2 and B3 were taken andstreak at the temperature about 37°C for 48 hours. Strain B1 demonstrated β (Beta) hemolysis after the incubation cycle and B2 and B3strains demonstrated γ (Gamma) hemolysis. The B1 strain had an emulsification index of about 74 percent and that was very high as compared to 70 percent for B2 and about 53 percent for B3 respectively. Around the same time, B1 strain showed β (Beta) hemolysis and γ (Gamma) hemolysis was shown bystrains B2 and B3 on the platesof bloodagar. The β hemolysisshowed by the strain B1 in the blood agar test, and the strain B2 and B3 showed γ (Gamma) hemolysis. It is determined that 20 percent strains that are the bestproducer of rhamnolipid have not fully lysed the blood, because the ability of the producer strains capacity not be responsible for the hemolytic activity. According to many researchers, who have shown that this is not such an effective tool for biosurfactant detection due to many bioproducts that may also induce red blood cell lysis, that is not so sufficient to be the surface-active molecule (Youssef et al., 2004). (Rashedi and others, 2005). Table2 Blood Hemolysis Test CTAB agar plate test This test confirms the anionic biosurfactants development. After plate incubation at a temperature of 37 ° C for 72 hours, dark blue hollow zone was existedaround each of the B1 strains wells, which clearly indicated the positive (+ive) development of anionic Biofactant. In addition, the B1 and B2 strains showed positive (+ I ve) results and, in the CTAB analysis, the B3 strain was found to be negative (-ive). The growing microorganisms when secreted the anionic biosurfactants on the plates of CTAB (cetyl-tri-methyl-ammonium-bromide) and methylene blue, then as a result the dark blue-purple insoluble ion pairs formed on the plates. The halo zone around each of the colonies was developed that can recognize rhamnolipid production and that was dark blue in colour, and could correlate with production of rhamnolipid (Siegmund et al., 1991). As indicated in (Fig1) Fig1: B1 positive on CTAB agar plate Oil Spreading Technique The oil was displaced by B1, B2and B3 strains in this test strain and showed a zone that was so clear. The bacterial strains capable of developing biosurfactant were tested and separated from the sample of soil which was oil spilled and brought from the District of Mansehra, Pakistan and from automobile workshops of Mansehra. As shown in (Fig.2). Fig.2: Results of Oil Spreading by B1, B2 and B3Table 3;.Test for oil spreads Bacterial culture Formation of zone (mm) Readings B,1 B,2 B,3 Drop-collapse technique During this process the drop shape was observed at the oil surface. As seen in Fig 3, the collapsed drop was provided by the supernatant culture B1 , B2 and B3.. Emulsification index Emulsification stability was measured with the use of kerosene oilin this test, and then observed the results. Since this emulsification index was calculated by dividing the height of the emulsion layer by the total height of the liquid layer and then multiplying by 100, as shown in the formulation below. Emulsification index Emulsification stability was measured with the use of kerosene oilin this test, and then observed the results. Since this emulsification index was calculated by dividing the height of the emulsion layer by the total height of the liquid layer and then multiplying by 100, as shown in the formulation below. Fig 3: Result of Drop-collapse test Table 4: The activity of Biosurfactant emulsification Dry weight of bio-surfactants In this examination, white-colored sediment was collected. Then measured the weight of the sterile Petri plate which was empty in the first step. Then, the sediment was poured into plates. The plates were taken and weighted after 30 minutes of drying on a hot air oven, following the process of drying. The weight of biosurfactants (dry weight) was measured using the following formulations: Fig 4: Dry weight of biosurfactants Table: 5: Dry weight of the biosurfactants Bacterial Culture Weight of the plate (g) biosurfactant in The plate after drying (g) Dry weight of Biosurfactant (g) B,1 B,2 B,3 Identification of selected strains and their characterization Gram staining For structural applications, and stroke analysis gram staining method was used.(Fig.5) shows findings from the process of gram staining. Fig 5: Microscopic view of Gram staining Biochemical identification of bacterial strains and their characterization Specific biochemical studies were performed to identify the species for further recognition and characterization. The bio-surfactant producing microorganism was found to be Pseudomonas aeruginosa after conducting various characterizations and the biochemical tests(Eric Deziel et al., 1996), Which can be used to further analyze and study the industrial development of the biosurfactant. Rhamnolipid is also isolated and produced from the Pseudomonas aeruginosa species on the silica gel plate (Rashedi et al., 2005), a form of biosurfactants highly recommended for processes of bioremediation. All the findings collected from biochemical testing were labeled as Berge 's Manual and it revealed that the protected microorganism was (Pseudomonas aeruginosa). Results of biochemical test were tabulated in (Table.5) Table 6: Bacterial strain identification Tests B1 B2 B3 Gram staining Negative Negative Negative Oxidases Positive e Positive Positive Catalase Positive Positive Positive Indole Positive Negative Negative Citrate Positive Negative Negative Urease Negative Positive Negative Nitrate Positive Positive Positive Motility Positive Positive Positive Gelatin hydrolysis Positive Negative Negative Lactose Negative Positive Positive Methyl red Negative Positive Positive Voges Proskauer Negative Negative Negative Fig 6: Results of biochemical tests(A) Methyl red and Voges Proskauer tests (b) catalase tests (c) oxidase tests (d) indole tests (e) citrate tests (g) lactose tests (h) urease tests Preliminary bacterial strain’s characterization The plates showed yellow dots, when sprayed with anthrone reagent. It indicated the existence of biosurfactants of rhamnolipid in the organism on the plate of TLC as seen in theFig.7 Fig 7: Biosurfactant characterization by TLC Conclusion Biosurfactant development is exciting and perceptible across industries to clean up oil waste and pollutants, particularly in the ecosystem.Compared with chemical surfactants, the biosurfactants are less harmful. It plays an important role in defining the advantages and the importance of industrial applications. Therefore, it is not possible to disregard the growing role and importance of biosurfactants in environmental sustainability.Biosurfactant formulations which can be used for bacterial, fungal, and viral organisms as growth inhibitors. Such biosurfactant inhibition properties can make them components that are applicable to Numerous illnesses that are used as medicinal agents. Therefore it was decided that the described strain could be used as a potential source for heavy metal bioremediation pesticide and hydrocarbon polluted sites. And also used as shielding the plant from different pathogens, contributing to improved crop yields. There is no doubt that the biosurfactants are a multifunctional, advanced, versatile, long-lasting and updated type not only for the twenty-first century but beyond. Conflict of interest The authors declared that they have no conflict of interest and the paper presents their own work which does not been infringe any third-party rights, especially authorship of any part of the article is an original contribution, not published before and not being under consideration for publication elsewhere. References Ali, S.R.; Chowdhury, B.R.; Mondal, P. and Rajak, S. “Screening and characterization of biosurfactants producing microorganism from natural environment (Whey spilled soil)”. Nat. Sci. Res. 2013, 3(13), 34–64. 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Today's world is more curious about the automobile safety performance. Everyone, who wishes to purchase their own vehicle, is concentrating on the safety features of the vehicle so that his journey must be safe. Most of the automobile companies in India now a day are focusing on the strength improvement of vehicle. In order to achieve the maximum safety the vehicle must undergoes the different types of test, which is to be performed during the design and development phase. Individual companies follow their own testing methods, but out of them some tests are common and must be taken before launching the vehicle in the market. Crash Test is the one of the important test which is to be conducted during the development of car. It is the method of hitting the car on an obstacle with a particular speed in order to observe and record the damage on vehicle, passenger and percentage of failure of component. This test is to be carried out with strong observations and standard speed. There are two methods of conducting crash test. One is physical crash test and other is virtual crash test. Physical crash test is time consuming, having wastage of money, material and efforts. But the plus point is it has accurate results. While virtual crash test eliminates all the above lacunas of physical crash test but the results are approximate. In this paper the modern vehicle like car crash test is to perform by using Virtual CAD Model and CAE tool like ANSYS 2020 R1 workbench. The vehicle is to be allowed to hit an obstacle with a particular speed and percentage of damage along with maximum deformation and stress concentrations is to be studied well. Three different materials are to be tested in order to achieve the better results. Based on obtained results, results are drawn.

Lower leg injuries commonly occur in frontal automobile collisions, and are associated with high disability rates. Accurate methods to predict these injuries must be developed to facilitate the testing and improvement of vehicle safety systems. Anthropomorphic test devices (ATDs) are often used to assess injury risk by mimicking the behavior of the human body in a crash while recording data from sensors at discrete locations, which are then compared to established safety limits developed by cadaveric testing. Due to the difference in compliance of cadaveric and ATD legs, the force dissipating characteristics of footwear, and the lack of direct measurement of injury risk to the foot and ankle, a novel instrumented insole was developed that could be applied equally to all specimens both during injury limit generation and during safety evaluation tests. An array of piezoresistive sensors were calibrated over a range of speeds using a pneumatic impacting apparatus, and then applied to the insole of a boot. The boot was subsequently tested and compared to loads measured using ankle and toe load cells in an ATD, and found to have an average error of 10%. The sensors also provided useful information regarding the force distribution across the sole of the foot during an impact, which may be used to develop regional injury criteria. This work has furthered the understanding of lower leg injury prediction and developed a tool that may be useful in developing accurate injury criteria in the future for the foot and lower leg.

Abstract Background As electric bicycles (e-bikes) become increasingly popular, reports of injuries associated with e-bike usage are also rising. Patterns, characteristics, and severity of injuries following e-bike crashes need further investigation, particularly in contrast to injuries from conventional bicycle crashes. Methods This prospective observational study included 82 patients treated at a Level II trauma center for injuries resulting from an electric or conventional bicycle crash. Data were collected over one year (05.09.2017–19.09.2018) during in- and outpatient visits. A study-specific case report form was used to identify the bicycle type, cycling behavior (e.g., use of a helmet, safety gear, alcohol), and circumstances of the crash (e.g., road conditions, speed, cause of the incident, time of day, season). Additional information about patient demographics, treatment, and injury characteristics, such as the Injury Severity Score (ISS) and body region injured, were documented. Results were analyzed using chi-square, Fisher’s exact, or Wilcoxon tests. Simple logistic or linear regression models were used to estimate associations. Results Of the 82 patients, 56 (67%) were riding a conventional bike and 27 (33%) were using an e-bike. Most incidents were either single-bicycle crashes (66%) or automobile collisions (26%), with no notable difference in prevalence rates between groups. Although a higher proportion of conventional bikers were male (67% vs. 48%), the difference was not significant. E-bikers were older (median 60 years (IQR 44–70) vs. 45 years (IQR 32–62); p = 0.008), were hospitalized more often (48% vs. 24%, p = 0.025), and had worse ISS (median 3 (IQR 2–4) vs. 1 (IQR 1–3), p < 0.001), respectively. Body regions most affected were the extremities (78%) and external/skin (46%), and these were distributed similarly in both groups. Concomitant injury patterns of the thorax/chest with external/skin were higher among e-bikers (p < 0.001). When we controlled for the difference in the median age of the two groups, only the injury severity score of e-bikers remained significantly worse. Conclusions Hospitalization and chest trauma rates were higher among e-bikers. After controlling for the older age of this group, the severity of their injuries remained worse than in conventional cyclists. Initial clinical assessments at trauma units should include an evaluation of the thorax/chest, particularly among elderly e-bikers. Level of evidence Level III.

Purpose The majority of machine component failures are caused by load conditions that change with time. Under those circumstances, the component can function effectively for a long time but then breaks down unexpectedly and without warning. Therefore, the study of fatigue considerations in design becomes important. Also, to determine the component's long-term tenability, fatigue behavior must be investigated. This paper aims to investigate the fatigue life of aluminum 6061-T6 alloy under uniaxial loading using experiments and finite element simulation. Design/methodology/approach Both base metal (BM) and friction stir welding (FSW) configurations have been used to analyze fatigue behavior. The experimental tests were carried out using Instron-8801 hydraulic fatigue testing machine at frequency of 20 Hz and load ratio of 0.1. The yield strength, ultimate tensile strength, amplitude stress and fatigue life were used as input in simulation analysis software. Based on the findings of the tensile test, the maximum stress applied during the fatigue testing was estimated. Simulated and experimental results were also used to plot and validate the S-N curves. The fracture behavior of specimens was also examined using fractographic analysis. Findings The fractured surfaces indicate both brittle and ductile failure in the specimens. However, dimples dominated during the final fracture. The comparison between experimental and simulation results illustrates that the difference in fatigue cycles increases with an increase in the yield strength of both BM and FSWed specimens. This disparity is attributed to many factors such as scratches, rough surfaces and microstructural behavior. Aluminum 6061-T6 alloy is considered a noteworthy material where high strength with reduced weight contributes to the crash-worthy design of automobile structures. Originality/value The current study is significant in the prediction of the fatigue life of aluminum 6061-T6 alloy using experiments and simulation analysis. A good correlation was found when the experimental and simulation analysis were compared. The proposed simulation analysis approach can be used to anticipate a component's fatigue life.

Abstract Mark A.R. Kleiman and his colleagues (hereafter Kleiman) have done the public a service by highlighting the problem of “driving while stoned.” Drug-impaired driving is a serious national problem. Numerous drugs other than alcohol, whether legal or illegal—such as opioids, cocaine, tranquilizers, sleep aids, hallucinogens, and marijuana—degrade driving performance and increase the risk of highway morbidity and mortality. Other than alcohol, marijuana is the biggest problem because it is the most commonly used drug, and its use is increasing, given marijuana legalization. Two facts aggravate that problem: (1) marijuana is often combined with alcohol and (2) a marijuana-alcohol cocktail has an enhanced debilitating effect on safe motor vehicle handling. As the U.S. Office of National Drug Control Policy has noted, driving while impaired is a major public health problem. Kleiman is correct that identifying impairment attributable to substances other than alcohol is a difficult problem. Two twentieth century developments helped society reduce the number of alcohol-related crashes, injuries, and deaths: the passage of 0.08 g/dL blood-alcohol content laws, and the development of reliable, easily operated, hand-held Breathalyzers for roadside use. Unfortunately, we cannot successfully use that approach for impairing drugs other than alcohol. We do not know what amount of THC impairs a majority of drivers. In any event, we do not have a measurement device comparable to a Breathalyzer. Kleiman argues that, given those enforcement problems, we should use only administrative measures to penalize marijuana-impaired driving. I think that there is room for the criminal justice system. People who use marijuana and drive put others at risk of injury or death. Just as legislatures can force a factory to bear the risk of pollution-related injury, so too can a legislature force marijuana users to internalize any costs of their drug use. If you use marijuana, don’t drive for at least eight hours. Use public transportation. Take a cab. Call Uber. Walk. Ask a friend for a lift. Or just remain where you are. No one has a constitutional right to drink alcohol, to smoke marijuana, or to drive an automobile. Society hardly asks too much of its citizens to demand that they not do all three simultaneously or to delay driving for eight hours after either of the first two activities. That is not all. States should test every driver involved in a crash, particularly one involving a fatality, not only for alcohol but also for legal and illegal impairing drugs. Moreover, all 50 states fix 21 as the minimum drinking age and the minimum age for recreational marijuana use. Whatever administrative penalty the states impose for underage drinking and driving—such as license suspension—should apply as well to everyone under that age who tests positive for any illegal drug use. States should also report on a regular basis the data regarding motorists’ use of impairing drugs, including marijuana. There is also room for Congress to act. Because U.S. highways are arteries of interstate commerce, Congress can protect their use by commercial and non-commercial drivers alike by preventing interstate highways from being used by drivers who increase the morbidity and mortality risks of others. Congress can demand that the states use a portion of their federal highways funds to adopt safety or information-gathering measures like the ones suggested above. At a minimum, Congress should force states to fund the cost of learning what their marijuana legalization measures have wrought.