Frontal Crash Simulation of Vehicles Against Lighting Columns in Kuwait Using FEM

Kuwait suffers from severe and fatal crashes that result from vehicles collision with street columns such as lighting columns. These crashes cause extremely high impact forces and deformation on the frontal area of the car. The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of vehicle frontal crash with lighting columns on vehicle deformation and deceleration after impact using finite element model simulation. In this research, Abaqus explicit code is used to numerically simulate the crash of the vehicle with the present lighting columns in Kuwait using a new suggested material. The acceleration, contact force and the energy required to deform the frontal area of the vehicle are all investigated. It was found that the lighting columns with the new suggested material have impact properties capable of decelerating the vehicle and absorbs high energy during impact.