Crashworthiness of helicopter subfloor structures

To improve a helicopter design concept, which meets structural and crashworthiness requirements, a research program is undertaken to study the energy absorption capability of a subfloor structure. In particular, crash tests are performed on the subfloor structure and on the intersection elements, which are components of the structure and can create high deceleration peak loads at the cabin floor level causing dangerous inputs to the occupants. Then the structures are analysed by a commercial explicit finite element code, PAM-CRASH, using detailed geometrical models, suitable materials models and the appropriate definition of contact forces and rivets. The analysis shows that the load-shortening diagrams present a good correlation to the experimental data and that the structural collapse predictions correspond closely to the observed behaviour during the experimental tests. Consequently the finite element analysis can be used to aid the designers in evaluating the crashworthiness of different structural concepts and can therefore be an important mean of reducing development costs.