Load Transfer Analysis Using Indexes U* and U** for Truck Cab Structures in Initial Phase of Frontal Collision

A new index U* which represents load paths in structures was applied to a truck cab under collision. After obtaining the deformed body by a dynamic crash simulation, U* for the extracted deformed body was statically calculated. The distributions of U* were compared with the values of U** obtained in our previous report. The U* and U** distributions show almost the same pattern. However, the absolute value of U* is larger than U** by about 1.6 times. The difference is inevitable because of the difference in their definitions. The concepts of U*sum and its histogram were used to express the effectiveness of the load transfer. Using these expressions, it was shown that the main member of this cab transfers the loading effectively.