The present study examines the biornechanical implications of 3-point lap/shoulder seal belts and frontal air bag to the injury probabilities for occupants of varying anthropometry, during frontal collisions. Using mathematical dynamic modeling (MADYMO) software, a variety of simulated frontal crash test were conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of seat belt and air bags in reducing probability of injury to different steed occupants. The simulations included virtual models of the 5th percentile female, 50th percentile male, and 95th percentile male to represent three occupant size classes. The test matrix paired each of these dummy sizes with four restraint system configurations. The configurations examined were seat belt only, air bag only, both seat belt and air bag, and none. Each of the simulated crash was modeled to replicate a direct (12 O'clock) frontal collision with a total change in velocity of 56.3 kph. Likelihood of serious injury was determined through the calculation of head injury criteria (HIC,36ms), angular acceleration of the head center of gravity, and the Nij neck injury criteria. The results generally suggested that air bags produce a more significant reduction in HIC for larger belted occupants than they do for smaller belted occupants, and that whether belted or not, smaller occupants received the largest reduction in head CG angular acceleration due to the existence of an air bag. Though clear trends were not noted in the neck injury values, it was noted that the simulations with out air bags produced two results that failed the injury criterion, while no serious neck injuries would be expected based on the values produced in the simulations with air bags. The study suggested that a properly timed air bag deployment can reduce injury potential for all occupants of all sizes, but that the magnitude of this benefit is dependent on anthropometry.
Biomechanical evaluation of occupant anthropometry during frontal collisions
Biomechanische Bewertung der Fahrzeuginsassen-Anthropmetrie während Frontalzusammenstößen
2006
6 Seiten, 6 Bilder, 1 Tabelle, 22 Quellen
Conference paper
English
Child anthropometry for improved vehicle occupant safety
TIBKAT | 2010
|Child anthropometry for improved vehicle occupant safety
SLUB | 2010
|Accident Data Analysis of Occupant injuries in Frontal Car Collisions
British Library Online Contents | 1996
|Car frontal collisions: occupant compartment forces, interface forces and stiffnesses
Automotive engineering | 2004
|