EVERGREEN

Joint Journal of Novel Carbon Resource Sciences and Green Asia Strategy

ISSN:2189-0420 (Print until Mar 2020)
ISSN:2432-5953 (Online)

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Dynamic Modeling and Simulation of Vehicle Structural Components Under Full Front Impact for Automotive Crashworthiness

Sintya Meira Pratiwi1,2, Harus Laksana Guntur1,*, Fahmi Mubarok1, Riyki Apriandi3
1Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Industrial Technology and Systems Engineering, Institut Teknologi Sepuluh Nopember, Indonesia
2Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Islamic University of Kalimantan, Indonesia
3Department of Manufacturing, Politeknik Batulicin, Tanah Bumbu, Indonesia
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed:
E-mail: haruslg@me.its.ac.id (HLG)
Evergreen, Vol. 13, Iss. 02, pp. 537–546, 2026
DOI: 10.5109/7420067
Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
Received: May 19, 2025 | Revised: August 07, 2025 | Accepted: December 17, 2025 | Published: June 2026
Abstract
Abstract: Crashworthiness is a crucial aspect of vehicle safety because it reduces structural damage and protects occupants during frontal collisions. Most previous studies have relied on Finite Element Method (FEM) simulations, which require high computational resources and complex geometric modelling, making them less efficient for early-stage design. To overcome this limitation, this study developed a four-mass dynamic model using a spring–damper system to simulate the crashworthiness of a vehicle’s front-end structure under full frontal impact. The model represents the bumper beam, crash box, and chassis, and each is assigned specific values of mass, stiffness, and damping. Simulations were carried out using MATLAB Simulink under a frontal impact condition with an initial velocity of 15.6 m/s (56 km/h), an impact force of 72,000 N, and a duration of 0.2 seconds. Validation was performed based on previous studies that compared the Finite Element Method (FEM) and Lumped Parameter Model (LPM), showing that the displacement results of the present model were similar to those obtained by FEM. The simulation showed a maximum chassis displacement of 70 mm, followed by a rebound of 60 mm, stabilizing within 1.2 seconds. The peak velocity reached 2.5 m/s, and the maximum acceleration was 140 m/s², which decreased to 100 m/s² owing to damping and plastic deformation. These results indicate that the model can accurately and efficiently represent impact dynamics, offering a practical alternative for early crashworthiness evaluation and structural design optimization.
Keywords
Crashworthiness; Dynamic Simulation; Four-Mass System; Frontal Impact; Lumped Parameter Model; MATLAB Simulink; Vehicle Safety
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