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EDSMAC — Vehicle Collision Simulator

Engineering Dynamics Corporation Simulation Model of Automobile Collisions

Version 4 — Fifth Edition (January 2006), converted to Markdown and updated against the current HVE source code (July 2026 edition).

EDSMAC is a simulation analysis of single- or two-vehicle crashes, based on the SMAC program developed at Calspan for NHTSA, with extensions by Engineering Dynamics Corporation. This manual describes the model features and use; input parameters and output reports are described at a high level. It is intended to be used in conjunction with the HVE-2D User's Manual, which provides in-depth coverage of the vehicle and environment models, as well as the Event Editor and Playback Editor.

Original publication: Engineering Dynamics Corporation, 8625 S.W. Cascade Boulevard, Suite 200, Beaverton, Oregon 97008 USA — www.edccorp.com. Copyright Engineering Dynamics Corporation 1982-2006. All rights reserved. HVE, HVE-2D, SIMON, DyMESH, EDSVS, EDVTS, EDCRASH, EDSMAC, EDSMAC4, EDVSM, EDHIS, EDVDS, EDGEN and EDVAP are trademarks of Engineering Dynamics Corporation.

Contents

  1. Chapter 1 — EDSMAC Program Description — Overview, model inputs and outputs, validation, basic procedure
  2. Chapter 2 — EDSMAC Program Input — Vehicles, environment, event set-up, driver controls, simulation controls, calculation options, barrier collisions
  3. Chapter 3 — EDSMAC Program Output — Alpha-numeric reports, variable output tables, trajectory and damage profile simulations
  4. Chapter 4 — Calculation Method — Equations of motion, collision phase, trajectory phase, assumptions
  5. Chapter 5 — EDSMAC Tutorial — A complete visibility/avoidability study, from vehicle creation to printed reports
  6. Chapter 6 — Messages — Complete list of fatal, diagnostic and informative messages
  7. Chapter 7 — Technical References
  8. Chapter 8 — Index — Topic-to-chapter guide (replaces the printed page index)

Notes on this edition

This Markdown edition preserves the substance of the Fifth Edition manual and has been verified against the current physics engine (Physics/Source/Edsmac/, notably SMAINPUT.CPP and COLL.CPP) and the HVE user interface (HVEINV-64/EdSmacDlg.cpp, Language.rsc). Where the original manual was stale, the text follows the code and is marked with (updated: ...) notes. Key updates:

  • Calculation option defaults and labels (Vector Spacing default 2.0 deg, "Max Pressure Error" label for ALAMB).
  • Corrected AMU/ZETAV variable attribution (AMU = inter-vehicle friction; ZETAV = minimum velocity for friction).
  • The restitution model \(e = C_0 - C_1\delta + C_2\delta^2\) with current default coefficients.
  • Terrain search options are now in the separate Get Surface Information Options dialog; the "By Elevation" method is not supported.

Screenshots from the original manual are not reproduced; italic placeholders give the figure caption for each.

Next: Chapter 1 — EDSMAC Program Description →