Vehicular Testing
While analytical methods may be applied in order to determine vehicle response, often calibration test data is required. Crash testing may be used to supplement the publicly available, U.S. government crash test data. Unique impacts, rare vehicles, and high speed events often require a staged collision test to be performed. Additionally, extremely low speed events must often be duplicated in order to gain a clearer understanding of the vehicle and occupant motions. We have designed numerous collision tests in order to investigate vehicle response.
Vehicle handling tests may be used to duplicate specific vehicle handling maneuvers in order to investigate specific loss of control issues. Vehicle parameters, driver impairment, and roadway features can often be analyzed through the use of handling tests. Our motorsports background allows limit vehicle performance to be fully explored through the use of trained drivers. Additionally, tests may be fully instrumented in order to eliminate subjective evaluations and rely solely on objective, measured test data.
Please be patient as new vehicle tests and photographs are added to this page. Updates will appear shortly.

Staged Crash Testing

The value of crash testing in the analysis of real world collisions can never be underestimated. When collision modes are unique and there is no applicable crash test data available in the public domain, then it is often necessary to perform a staged collision experiment in order to duplicate the damage observed on an accident vehicle. The movie shown here is of a crash test designed to duplicate a dent made when the subject van struck the receiver hitch on the back of a Jeep. This staged collision test allowed us to exactly duplicate the damage to the Jeep at an approximate speed of 4 mph. The equivalent impact speed into the Jeep was then determined to be 8 mph based on this crash test.

download and view the van crash video described above

Vehicle Dynamics

In order to analyze vehicle loss of control in emergency reaction situations, it is often necessary to perform vehicle handling testing. KEVA Engineering uses a 32 channel, high speed data acquisition system in order to perform vehicle testing with objective, measured data. We can monitor acceleration, steering, braking, throttle, pressure, temperature, yaw rate, vehicle speed and many other items on a test vehicle. Our software allows vehicle path mapping and graphing of all of the measured test data so vehicle dynamics conclusions have solid engineering validity.

Component Testing

Our in house testing capability also includes testing of vehicle safety related components such as bumpers, seats, and doors. The specific test being shown involves the rearward energy absorption test of a vehicle seat. This test allowed the deformation modes and energy absorption characteristics of the seat to be thoroughly explored under controlled test conditions.

Research Crash Testing

KEVA Engineering personnel were instrumental in the formation of a research partnership that resulted in a crash test series done in 1992. In that test series, six identical compact vehicles were collision tested at varying speeds. This allowed the force deformation characteristics of the frontal structure to be thoroughly analyzed. Additionally, a two day seminar was conducted and KEVA Engineering personnel lectured on the current state of the art energy absorption analysis methodologies.

download and view the bumper ride video clip

The Society of Automotive Engineers Accident Investigation and Reconstruction Practices Committee has held meetings in conjunction with various collision testing projects. KEVA Engineering personnel assisted with the vehicle documentation for a series of underride tests held in Vancouver Canada. These underride tests allowed the analysis of vehicle energy absorption when there is no contact with the bumper.