In 2000, an offset frontal impact test was introduced into the Japan New Car Assessment Program (JNCAP) in addition to full frontal impact tests as a part of overall safety evaluation. The present study investigated the crashworthiness and injury criteria in full frontal and offset frontal impact tests using the data on 26 car models in the JNCAP 2000. The relationship between both crash tests was also examined. The results may be summarized as follows: Vehicle accelerations were high in full frontal impact tests while the deformations were large in offset frontal impact tests. Each of the tests evaluates different aspects of crashworthiness. In both full and offset frontal impact tests, the acceleration-based injury criteria such as at like head and chest were higher, and the intrusion-based injury criteria of lower extremities were lower as the vehicle deformation was smaller. The neck extension moments were apt to be larger as the airbag deployment time delays increased and the deployment velocity was higher. The maximum barrier force was proportional to the vehicle mass. Vehicle with balanced upper and lower barrier forces in offset impact tests and with uniform honeycomb deformation were likely to have homogeneous stiffness. The JNCAP results showed a correlation between the scores of full and offset frontal impact test. This may be due to the fact that, as a result of the JNCAPs introducing both tests, the design of vehicle struck a balance between two tests in terms of crashworthiness. The strength of the passenger compartment of small and medium cars has increased thanks to the introduction of the offset impact test.
Vehicle crashworthiness in full and offset frontal impact tests
Fahrzeug-Crash-Verhalten bei Frontal- und Frontal-Offset-Crash
JSAE Review ; 24 , 2 ; 173-181
2003
9 Seiten, 18 Bilder, 4 Quellen
Aufsatz (Zeitschrift)
Englisch
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