Several man-made structures are susceptible to impact forces. Mechanical impact is associated with an effort of dynamic nature, in which the load is suddenly and quickly applied. Impact is a complex phenomenon, because of the intensity of the force, duration of its application, and impact speed involved, which influence the mechanical behavior of the material. Impact can be found in several situations, e.g. in tool design, explosions, artillery, safety systems for dangerous substance storage, collisions between transport vehicles such as aircraft, cars, trains, etc. The applied loading associated to high speeds supplies the so-called impact energy. Depending on its intensity, impact can cause large structural damage, to the environment, or even to a human being. Therefore, ways to absorb this energy must be provided to reduce its consequences. The behavior of mechanical structures submitted to impact is a highly relevant issue. Nowadays, it is frequently discussed in the context of vehicle collisions. In this work, simulations of dynamic loading are carried through, in similar structures representing components of a vehicle, through the Finite Elements Method. Impact tests using a drop weight machine are performed to measure deformations using strain gauges connected to a system signal acquisition system, in order to establish a method to calculate the impact energy absorbed by the structure.