For the crashworthiness analysis of transport vehicles a three-component system that consists of a base, a container, and an object to be protected, connected by shock isolators, can be utilized as a model. An approach for a limiting performance analysis of shock isolation for such a model is proposed. This approach involves the reduction of the optimal control problem for the three-component system to an auxiliary optimal control problem for a two-component system. A detailed description of the technique for the determination of the absolute minimum of the performance index and construction of the optimal control is presented. A proposition that provides a mathematical substantiation for this technique is stated and proven. Example problems included in the paper demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed technique.

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