Structural vehicle impact loading

In contemporary design, vehicle impact into the structures is paid great attention since they can be dominant, depending on the type of structure. The key issue in the vehicle impact analysis is the proper determination of intensity and way of action of dynamic forces on the structural element and its behavior after the imparted load. The Eurocodes, in the annexes provide recommendations for determination of force intensity depending on mass and velocity of the colliding vehicle. Equivalent static loads causing approximate effects on the structural elements are used as quite approximate and efficient methods. The paper comprises the analysis of deformation of columns having the same characteristics, exposed to impact loads via the equivalent static loads, depending on the stress state in columns, and a comparative analysis has been done.