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HIGHLIGHTING THE PROBLEM
What is underride?
Soc., Jud. & Pol. Asp.:
  • Stupid Paradox...
  • Basic Dilemma
  • How does justice...
  • Basic reasons...
  • It is possible...
  • Essential things...

  • Technical Aspects:
  • Passive safety...
  • Traps for humans
  • Estimating forces
  • The "wedge effect"
  • Ground clearance
  • High guards...
  • Opposing reasons

  • Worldwide Problem:
  • Existing standards 
  • Roving guillotines:

  • Argentina, Brazil, Chile, England, France, Germany, USA
  • Accident pictures
  • WHAT ARE WE DOING?
    Objective & Strategy
    Designs & Tests:
  • Articulated Guard
  • Pliers Guard
  • CRASH TEST #1
  • CRASH TEST #2
  • CRASH TEST #3

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    CRASH TEST #3

    The Pliers Underride Guard


     
    TEST CONDITIONS:
  • Closing speed: 64 km/h or 40 m.p.h. 
  • Contact surface: 50% offset impact on driver's side.
  • Frontal car height reduced to simulate panic braking
  • Car: Chevrolet Vectra (mass = 1,490 kg)
  • Truck: Mercedes-Benz LK-1217 (mass = 10,000 kg)
  • GUARD FEATURES: 
  • Height from the Ground:  215 mm ( 8.46 inches) 
  • Mounted flush wiht the rear end of the truck bed

  • Guard designed at UNICAMP and constructed by MASTRA. 

    Tested at the experimental facilities of GENERAL MOTORS DO BRAZIL in Indaiatuba - Brazil, which also donated the Vectra Car and the time and skills of their engineers.

    ALL DETAILS CAN BE FOUND IN SAE TECHNICAL PAPER 982879. 

    Click on the pictures to enlarge them!

    Rear view of the truck with the pliers underride guard before the crash test
    Relative heights of the car front bumper and the pliers underride guard. Ground clearance = 215 mm (8.46 inches)
    Side view of the deformed chassis main beam
    The relative position of both vehicles. The truck was pushed some 110 cm, although brakes were applied and the total mass was 10 ton! Windshield not touched and doors easily opened!
    Internal view of the car showing no deformation on the panel
    Front view of the car, showing the "bitten area" by the "pliers effect" of the conceptual underride guard