SmartStop 50/80 Science
Overview
Euro Road Safety was initially formed as a new area in which to exploit the knowledge and expertise of, Cellbond’s dedicated development team, and Cellbond’s product range with a view to saving lives. We proceeded to develop the UK’s first designed and built Lorry Mounted Crash Cushion (LMCC): the SmartStop.
The following information shows that when tested, the SmartStop 50/80 device proved efficient, performing well inside the specified limits:
| Small Vehicle | Large Vehicle | |
| Occupant Impact Velocity (m/s) | 12 | 10.8 |
| Occupant Ride Down Acceleration (g) | 14 | 16 |
Outcomes
The successful crash performance of the SmartStop device, carried out at the TRL test centre in Berkshire, UK, was evident through:
- Minimal damage to the bullet vehicle interior – "there was no penetration of the passenger compartment", TRL.
- Exceptionally low roll ahead distance during the pick-up impact – lower than many competitors. (Should be zero if blocked 1.9m for large vehicles)
- No visible damage to the support vehicle – "There was no damage to the lorry or the brackets and retaining pins which connected the LMCC to the lorry", TRL.
- As stated above by TRL there was no visible damage to the support frame or the collapsible frame of the SmartStop device – thus making it re-usable.
Design Features
Some of the key design features are described below:
- The collapsible frame provides a unique support system that controls the motion of the LMCC during impact. This prevents buckling, and leads the impacting car through the cushion, using the most efficient part of the system to absorb the energy in an optimum manner.
- The frame also prevents underrun, by providing controlled resistance to buckling in the vertical plane.
- The barrier dissipates the crash energy gradually with a carefully designed energy absorption mechanism to minimize any forward shunt, and enhance the occupant safety during the incidents.
- Despite offering control and structural support, the system still allows the honeycomb elements to do the majority of work in absorbing the energy. This consequently enables a higher degree of consistency than less proven energy absorbing materials.
- The modular construction allows the replacement of one or more of the honeycombelements once the impact occurs. This is more cost effective than replacing the entire system and can save down time of the maintenance truck.