120mph crash test

[LOWDOWN]

I found this, today, on the 'net, and I must say this is "chilling"...

Happens to be a Ford Focus...who cares, right?!...but it would simulate what a head-on crash at 60 mph might result in...for any of us...

Next time you're contemplating that high speed run, think about what a bridge abutment would "feel" like...

http://www.autoblog.com/2011/10/20/f...us-at-120-mph/

[hypurone]

He misstated the effect being equivalent to 2 cars hitting head on at 120mph each. It should have stated as "head on at 60mph each"...

"A head on traffic accident occurs when the front of one vehicle collides with the front of another.
These types of accidents are extremely dangerous because of the cumulative speed affect of
vehicles colliding in opposite directions. Accident reconstruction experts often refer to the
combined difference in speed as closing speed or closing velocity.

For example, if two vehicles collide head on with each traveling at 30 MPH, then the closing speed
between the two vehicles would be equal to 60 MPH. If the same two cars were to collide, with one
of the one of the vehicles stopped, then the striking vehicle would need to be traveling 60 MPH to
equal the same closing speed."

Either way you cut it, it's nasty!

[ROD_SS]

whoa! That was insane

[Blue Maro Demon]

That was crazy! All that was left was the rear end!

[Transfusion]

time to chage the drawers

[lil_chef]

i don't think it simulates a 60 mph head on crash either as there would be two crumple zones hitting each other. i think this is more representative of a 80 mph head on crash between 2 cars.

[DGthe3]

Originally Posted by hypurone

He misstated the effect being equivalent to 2 cars hitting head on at 120mph each. It should have stated as "head on at 60mph each"...

"A head on traffic accident occurs when the front of one vehicle collides with the front of another.
These types of accidents are extremely dangerous because of the cumulative speed affect of
vehicles colliding in opposite directions. Accident reconstruction experts often refer to the
combined difference in speed as closing speed or closing velocity.

For example, if two vehicles collide head on with each traveling at 30 MPH, then the closing speed
between the two vehicles would be equal to 60 MPH. If the same two cars were to collide, with one
of the one of the vehicles stopped, then the striking vehicle would need to be traveling 60 MPH to
equal the same closing speed."

Either way you cut it, it's nasty!

No, it simulates 2 cars hitting each other at 120 mph. Or 1 car hitting a sturdy wall at 120 mph. The problem is that two cars (together) travelling at 60 would have half the kinetic energy of a single car at 120, despite the fact that their closing speed is 120 mph.

"For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction"

In this case, the 'action force' is a car hitting a solid object at 120 mph. The 'reaction force' would therefore be equal in magnitude but opposite in direction ... in other words, a car of equal mass going in the opposite direction at the same speed.

It is also extremely different from hitting a parked car. In that collision, momentum from the first car gets transferred to the 2nd. Usually it is some sort of glancing blow where the first car gets deflected while the 2nd car moves off in another direction, with both cars probably spinning. Both cars absorb a portion of the energy when the impact zone gets crushed, but not all of it.

[PAUL SS]

F'n scary.

[ccrognlie]

OOOOOOOUCH:(

[CC Performance]

not accurate damage for a two car head on... Two cars hitting will have less damage I think... cars have crumple zones the concrete wall does not.. cool vid, not sure what else they expected to happen.. but two cars in a head on collision are not going to do the same thing

"For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction" angle of deflection = angle of refraction??? or something like that?

DGthe3 studied physics...LOL but he is absolutely correct.

I on the other hand was not good in science...hahahahha.. but I think this is the formula?
http://www.sjsu.edu/faculty/watkins/scattering.htm

[The_cartoonist_88]

Originally Posted by CC Performance

not accurate damage for a two car head on... Two cars hitting will have less damage I think... cars have crumple zones the concrete wall does not.. cool vid, not sure what else they expected to happen.. but two cars in a head on collision are not going to do the same thing

"For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction" angle of deflection = angle of refraction??? or something like that?

DGthe3 studied physics...LOL but he is absolutely correct.

I on the other hand was not good in science...hahahahha.. but I think this is the formula?
http://www.sjsu.edu/faculty/watkins/scattering.htm

that may be true about the crumple zones but both vehicles having the forward motion the result would be the about the same or greater damage

[CC Performance]

I think the zones and they way they deflect the energy will definitely have an effect.. I dont think its survivable no matter what but I'd like to see them do another collision with two cars this time and lets see the results... its very interesting the way they have advanced auto safety....

[DGthe3]

Here is a Mythbusters clip comparing a single car hitting a wall at 50 mph, a single car hitting a wall at 100 mph, and a single car hitting another car each going 50 mph

[Captain Awesome]

Originally Posted by DGthe3

No, it simulates 2 cars hitting each other at 120 mph. Or 1 car hitting a sturdy wall at 120 mph. The problem is that two cars (together) travelling at 60 would have half the kinetic energy of a single car at 120, despite the fact that their closing speed is 120 mph.

"For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction"

In this case, the 'action force' is a car hitting a solid object at 120 mph. The 'reaction force' would therefore be equal in magnitude but opposite in direction ... in other words, a car of equal mass going in the opposite direction at the same speed.

It is also extremely different from hitting a parked car. In that collision, momentum from the first car gets transferred to the 2nd. Usually it is some sort of glancing blow where the first car gets deflected while the 2nd car moves off in another direction, with both cars probably spinning. Both cars absorb a portion of the energy when the impact zone gets crushed, but not all of it.

They did a segment on Mythbusters carefully measuring and testing that BUSTED the old saw that two cars hitting each other head on at X miles per hour is like hitting a solid wall going 2X miles per hour.