CDC Page 1

Collision Deformation
Classification

I
am writing to enlist the help of all engineers in extent of penetration into the vehicle envelope. continuity of damage between two or more
what has become, for me, a rather long term vehicles it is frankly useless and simply downgrades
The glory of this system is that it removed the
crusade in respect of engineer reports the whole value of the report.
currently used system which had become time worn
regarding the description of the impact
and relied upon by no-one. In the original Blue Book In the CDC code a 12FDEW3 has real meaning. If
direction and extent of damage.
of Automobile Assessing by D Griffiths, published by I am talking to a man in a foreign country, I can
I have been trying to get others to follow my lead Butterworths under ‘Leading Points of Impact’ get round technical translation by stating the
since 1993/4 when I got back from a course at (pages 16-18), he set out some 12 examples of description SAEJ224MAR80 standard and he can
Miami University and had become a member of diagrams indicating: then understand 12FDEW3 instead of
the Society of Automobile Engineers Inc. Mr Griffiths’ example (a) page 16 which says
1. The area of the vehicle which is damaged
“square on the front from front to rear” and then
The method of damage description I advocate is relating to the centre line
presumably is enhanced by the words “very heavy
an SAE MAR80 J224, the standard developed by 2. Direction of impact which is related to the
nature”. No-one can define what heavy means in
the federal US government for simple description PDOF – Principal Direction of Force
this respect! Now look what you get from a CDC of
of damage. At the time they had started to run 3. The severity of impact.
12FDEW3.
sample new vehicles into unyielding barriers.
Mr Griffiths says such descriptions should be realistic
They used technical students to record the results 12 = Clock direction of PDOF
and not exaggerated. It is permissible to qualify
and used the Collision Deformation Classification F = Area of deformation
comments by adding ‘of a heavy nature or very
Code SAE MAR80 J224 CDC. D = Specific location or lateral area
heavy nature’.
E = Specific vertical area
The Collision Deformation (CDC) code is a seven
Unfortunately most of this has been lost in the midst W = Type of damage distribution
digit three dimensional code indicating Principal
of time. All we now get is an arrow pointing at a dia- 3 = Maximum extent of penetration on a scale of
Direction of Force (PDOF). The location of
grammatic vehicle and a comment which rarely goes 1-10 from extremity to centre of vehicle in the
deformation and damage. The vertical location.
beyond ‘light’, moderate or heavy’. If anyone tries direction of crush.
The type of damage distribution. The maximum
then to use this to establish extent of damage or
On the following pages you will see some example
codes and I invite all members to join in my
crusade.

So my plea is, let us adopt the CDC system for use

throughout the profession and stop the criticism of
others, which comments upon what ‘light,
moderate, heavy’ actually mean. The dictionary
says: Light: Relatively low in weight, not more than
the usual mass Moderate: Being within
reasonable limits; not excessive or extreme
Collision Deformation Classification: Green Vehicle:
Heavy: Of great weight, difficult to lift, of great
CDC - 12FDEW3 = PDOF -10 density and greater than the usual mass.
White Vehicle: CDC - 01FZEW4 = PDOF +35
Edward Allen IEng EJ Allen Associates
 COLLISION DEFORMATION CDC Page 2

CLASSIFICATION
12 (0)
This is an easy reference chart for field use. Write your codes in
11 (-30) 01 (+30)
wash able pen beside each box and transfer to your report.
Clock direction is principal direction of force.
Example – Rear = 06 10 (-60) 02 (+60)

Location of Damage
Distributed Side or End = D
09 (-90) 03 (+90)
Left Front or Rear = L
Centre Front or Rear = C
Right Front or Rear = R
Side Front L/R = F 08 (-120) 04 (+120)
Side Centre Section L/R = P
Side Rear Left or Right = B
Side or end F+P or L+C = Y 07 (-160) 05 (+150)
Side or End B+P or R+C = Z 06 (±180)

Choose Clock Direction

Deformation Location
U

Location of Damage
R
D
Z

F T B z R

Y C D

L L
Deformation Location
Example Front = F
U F P B
Y
CDC/PDOF 1
COLUMNS
CDC/PDOF 2
The Collision Damage Classification (CDC) is a 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
seven character code which describes the
vehicle damage. The characters in the CDC Clock direction of PDOF
identify the Principal Direction Of Force (PDOF) in Area of deformation
the clock direction, the impacted surface (front,
Specific location or lateral area
right, back or left), the shape of the
Specific vertical area
damage profile and the extent of the maximum
penetration. If a more accurate direction than the Type of damage distribution
clock direction is known, the PDOF may be en- Maximum extent of penetration
tered in degrees after the CDC.

Columns 1 & 2 – Principal

Direction of Force
As defined in the first two columns of the CDC, result of forces normal and tangential to the surface of the vehicle in the area of deformation.
the Principal Direction of Force (PDOF) during In columns 1 & 2 of the CDC, the PDOF is designated by hour sectors on a conventional clockface
impact is the direction of the force that caused (figure 1 see page 3) and referred to as the clock direction. 12 O’clock indicates a head-on impact,
the crush and sheet metal 06 O’clock refers to a rear end impact, 03 and 09 O’clock refer to perpendicular impact to the right
displacement on the damaged vehicle. and left sides respectively. Angles in between are noted accordingly.

The PDOF is determined by the vector

 CDC Page 3
Figure 1: Columns 1 & 2, Clock Direction of PDOF

12
11 01

10 02

Note the clock direction is a two digit code.

That is ‘06’ must be entered not ‘6’. Note also that by
virtue of the hour increments, the clock direction in 09 03
columns 1 & 2 is rounded to the nearest 30 degrees.
The associated PDOF entries are shown below (figure 2)

08 04
Figure 2: Relationship Between Hour Angles and PDOF (degrees)

12 (0) 07 05
11 (-30) 01 (30) 06

10 (-60)
02 (+60)

03 (+90)
09 (-90)

08 (-120) 04 (+120)

07 (-150) 05 (+150)

06 (±180)

Figure 3: Column 3,
U
Deformation Location Code

R
Location Classification

Front F
Right Side R
Back (rear) B
Left Side L
Top T F T
Undercarriage U
B
Unclassifiable X

Column 3 – Deformation Location Code

The third column of the CDC, the Deformation Location Code,
specifies the general area (figure 3) of the vehicle which sustained
L
damage – either the Front, Right, Back or Left side. The Top and Underside
of the vehicle may also be damaged.
U
 CDC Page 4

Figure 4: Column 4, Longitude or Lateral Location

Location Classification

Distributed – side or end D

Left – front or rear L
Centre – front or rear C
Right – front or rear R
Side Front – left or right F
Side Centre Section – left or right P
Side Rear – left or right B D
Side or End – F+P or L+C Y
Side or End – B+P or R+C Z Z

Z R

Y C D

F P B

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 CDC Page 5

Column 4 – Specific Longitudinal or Lateral Location of Deformation

The specific area of damage (Distributed, Left, Centre, Right etc) can be considered a suffix
to column 3 in that the specific Longitudinal or Lateral Location of Deformation (figure 4, page 4)
describes in greater detail, the general area of damage (front, right, back or left) entered in
column 3. Note in figure 4 that letters shown on the front and rear may be
applied to either the front or the rear; letters shown on the sides may be used for either side.

Column 5 – Specific Vertical Location of Deformation

This entry is also a suffix to column 3 and refers to vertical damage characteristics (figure 5). An entry (A, H, E, G, M, L or W) is necessary for a valid CDC.

G A
H
M E

Figure 5: Column 5 Vertical Location

Vertical Location: Front, Rear or Side Impacts Classification

All A
Top of Frame to top of Vehicle H
Everything below Belt Line E
Belt Line and Above G
Middle—top of frame to belt line or hood M
Frame—top of frame, frame
Bottom of frame (inc undercarriage) L
Below undercarriage level
(wheels and tyres only) W

Figure 6—Column 6, Type of Damage Distribution

Type Classification
Wide impact Area W
Narrow Impact Area N
Sidewipe S
Rollover (includes rolling onto side) O
Corner (extends from corner to
= < 16in (410mm) E
Conversion in impact type
Requires multiple CDC K
No residual Deformation U

Column 6 – Type of Damage Distribution

The general type of impact or accident is defined in column 6.

Further, some entries violate the assumptions of analysis, notably Sideswipe, Rollover and multiple impact (K). narrow impact is specified, the width of
the damage profile is set to 16in (410mm); otherwise Wide impact is assumed and the width of the damage is set based on tabular data in conjunction
with the Specific Longitudinal or Lateral Location of Deformation entered in column 4 of the CDC.
Figure 7: Column 7, Maximum Extent of Penetration
CDC Page 6

Left Side Extent

1
Side Windows 2

3
4
6 Equal 5

Zones 6
7

8
5 Equal 9

Zones
9 8 Front Extent
1 2 34 5 RW 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
6 7 8 9 Top Surface
Rear Extent 5 Equal Zones 1
2
3
Side Window 4 3 Equal Zones
5

6 Top Extent

7 3 Equal Zones
8
9
Front Door Latch Pillar Beginning of Zone ? From Either Front or Rear

Column 7 – Maximum Extent of Penetration extent of 9; conversely, a rear impact penetratingforward to the B-pillar will also
The extent of maximum residual deformation to the vehicle is have a penetration extent of 9 Laterally, a penetration extent of 9 is associated with
based on a somewhat qualitative system wherein the vehicle is penetratingthe entire width of the vehicle. A penetration extent of 0 would imply
divided into penetration zones numbered from 1-9 (figure 7). no permanent deformation, and therefore no CDC. For damage extents between
Along the longitudinal axis of the vehicle, the B-pillar is generally 0 and 9, the extents are divided into zones normally having equal width. The
taken as the maximum (ie the beginning of zone 9). A frontal exception to this rule occurs in areas which include the windshield and windows, as
crush penetratingrearward to the B-pillar will have a penetration shown in figure 7.
Note: See ‘Collision Deformation Classification’ SAE J224 MAR80 [12] for further details

12FDEW3 01FZEW3
11FYEW3 12FDEW1

07LBEW1

01RZEW2 06BLEW4 03RFEW2