Final report of frontal barrier impacts of a 1985 Ford Escort 3-door hatchback in support of Crash III damage algorithm reformation

El-Habash, N. A. · 1988 · ROSA P / United States. Department of Transportation. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

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Summary

This report documents a series of six 0° flat frontal barrier impact tests conducted on a 1985 Ford Escort 3-door hatchback. The primary objective was to generate empirical data to support the reformulation of the CRASH III damage algorithm, a tool used for estimating vehicle speeds based on crush damage in traffic accident reconstruction. The tests were performed at the Transportation Research Center in Ohio under the sponsorship of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The experimental design utilized a single vehicle, modified with 383 pounds of steel plate ballast in the trunk to achieve a total test weight of 2,765 pounds. The vehicle was equipped with a 1.6-liter engine and automatic transmission. Six sequential impacts were conducted on September 28, 1988, at increasing speeds: 10.1, 19.8, 19.9, 18.2, 19.3, and 30.0 mph. Data collection included high-speed photography, accelerometer readings from various vehicle locations (front frame, hood, suspension, and rear deck), and contact switch timing. Post-test measurements recorded the cumulative crush at six specific points along the vehicle’s front structure. The results demonstrate a clear correlation between impact velocity and structural deformation. At the lowest speed of 10.1 mph, the average cumulative crush was 2.5 inches. As speeds increased to approximately 20 mph, the average crush ranged between 11.4 and 21.1 inches. The highest speed impact of 30.0 mph resulted in an average cumulative crush of 52.3 inches and a maximum crush of 53 inches. Accelerometer data indicated peak longitudinal decelerations increasing with impact severity, reaching up to 92.9 g at the rear deck during the 30 mph test. The report also notes anomalies in contact switch data due to damage from the rigid barrier, though separation times were successfully recorded for most tests. This study provides critical baseline data for refining the CRASH III algorithm. By establishing precise relationships between impact speed and crush depth for a specific vehicle model, the findings contribute to the accuracy of speed estimation in crash investigations. The sequential nature of the tests on a single vehicle allows for the observation of progressive structural failure modes, offering insights into how frontal barrier impacts affect vehicle integrity across a range of low-to-moderate speeds.

Key finding

Average cumulative crush increased from 2.5 inches at 10.1 mph to 52.3 inches at 30 mph across six frontal barrier impact tests.

Methodology

simulator

Sample size: 6

Provenance

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Summary generated by qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant on 2026-06-10; verification: verified.

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• evacuation egress