In far-side impacts, head contact with interior components is a key injury mechanism. Restraint characteristics have a pronounced influence on head motion and injury risk. This study performed a parametric examination of restraint, positioning, and collision factors affecting shoulder belt retention and occupant kinematics in far-side lateral and oblique sled tests with post mortem human subjects (PMHS). Seven PMHS were subjected to repeated tests varying the D-ring position, arm position, pelvis restraint, pre-tensioning, and impact severity. Each PMHS was subjected to four low-severity tests (6.6 g sled acceleration pulse) in which the restraint or position parameters were varied and then a single higher-severity test (14 g) with a chosen restraint configuration (total of 36 tests). Three PMHS were tested in a purely lateral (90° from frontal) impact direction; 4 were tested in an oblique impact (60° from frontal). All subjects were restrained by a 3-point seatbelt. Occupant motion was tracked with a 3D optoelectric high speed motion capture system. For all restraint configurations, the 60° oblique impact angle was associated with greater lateral head excursion than the 90° impact angle. This unexpected result reflects the increased axial rotation of the torso in the oblique impacts, which allowed the shoulder to displace more relative to the shoulder belt and thus the head to displace more relative to the sled buck. Restraint engagement of the torso and shoulder was actually greater in the purely lateral impacts than in the oblique impacts. Pretensioning significantly reduced lateral head excursion (175 mm average in the low-severity tests across all restraint configurations).


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    Title :

    Occupant Kinematics and Shoulder Belt Retention in Far-Side Lateral and Oblique Collisions: A Parametric Study




    Publication date :

    2013



    Type of media :

    Conference paper


    Type of material :

    Print


    Language :

    English



    Occupant Kinematics and Shoulder Belt Retention in Far-Side Lateral and Oblique Collisions: A Parametric Study

    Forman, J.L. / Lopez-Valdes, F. / Lessley, D.J. et al. | British Library Conference Proceedings | 2013


    Occupant Kinematics In Side Collisions

    Ardoino,P.L. / Fiat-Safety Center,IT | Automotive engineering | 1984


    Influence of Lateral Restraint on Occupant Interaction with a Shoulder Belt or Preinflated Air Bag in Oblique Impacts

    Culver,C.C. / Viano,D.C. / General Motors Res.Lab.,US | Automotive engineering | 1981



    PMHS Experiments to Evaluate Shoulder Belt Retention in Oblique Impacts

    Kent, R. / Lopez-Valdes, F. / Forman, J. et al. | British Library Conference Proceedings | 2012