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Heidelberg-type side impact sled tests were conducted using SID side impact dummies. These tests were run under similar conditions to a series of cadaveric sled tests funded by the Centers for Disease Control in the same lab. Tests included 6.7 and 9 m/s (15 and 20 mph) unpadded and 9 m/s padded tests. The following padding was used at the thorax: ARSAN, ARCEL, ARPAK, ARPRO, DYTHERM, 103 and 159 kPa (15 and 23 psi) crush strength paper honeycomb, and an expanded polystyrene. In all padded tests the dummy Thoracic Trauma Index, TTI(d) was below the value of 85 set by federal rulemaking (49 CFR, Part 571 et al., 1990). In contrast, cadavers in 9 m/s sled tests did not tolerate ARSAN 601 (MAIS 5) and 23 psi (159 kPa) paper honeycomb (MAIS 5), and 20 psi (138 kPa) Verticel™ honeycomb (MAIS 4), but tolerated 15 psi (103 kPa) paper honeycomb (average thoracic MAIS 2.3 in six tests).

In recent years supplemental inflatable restraint systems (airbags) have been installed in motor vehicles to mitigate driver/front passenger harm in vehicle frontal crashes. The performance of the airbag and the level of protection it provides the occupant can be evaluated by a combination of experimental and analytical techniques. Analytical modeling of airbag inflation is desirable in automotive design, particularly when the technique encompasses the airbag, occupant and vehicle structure in an integrated system. This paper is concerned with the development of nonlinear finite element (FE) technology to simulate airbag deployment and its interaction with an articulated occupant model. This technology is being developed in the dynamic large deformation Lagrangian based DYNA3D code which has been successfully used in vehicle crashworthiness simulations. The airbag material was simulated by an orthotropic “wrinkle free” membrane elastic model.

This paper presents the results of an analysis of 12 full-scale side impact crash tests that were conducted to compare the responses of the SAE BioSID with the NHTSA SID. Dummies were tested in the front and the rear seat with both a baseline (production) door interior and a 3-inch-thick Arcel 512™ foam pad. The responses of the two dummies were significantly different. Peak rib accelerations were higher for the BioSID in the front seat. In the rear seat, peak rib accelerations were lower for the BioSID. However, the values of the Thoracic Trauma Index from the two dummies were not significantly different when tested in the front seat. The addition of padding significantly reduced the Thoracic Trauma Index (TTI), peak rib accelerations, and peak pelvis acceleration in both the front and rear seat for both dummies. For the BioSID, the addition of padding produced significantly greater rib compression and Viscous Criterion in the front seat, but not in the rear seat.

This paper presents the results of an analysis of 16 full-scale side impact crash tests that were conducted by the Japanese Automobile Manufacturers Association. The objective is to examine the influence of the major factors distinguishing the proposed U.S. and European passenger car side impact test procedures on the resulting injury measures. The factors addressed are the dummy, the moving deformable barrier, and the impact angle of the barrier. Each of the factors examined had substantial effects on the injury measures. For the front seat position, the design of the EEVC barrier face and the EUROSID rib structure combine to produce a Thoracic Trauma Index 80 percent higher than in the U.S. test. Conversely, the EEVC barrier face produces a resultant peak pelvic acceleration 131 g's (74 percent) lower than the U.S. test. These results underscore the importance of the differences in the proposed U.S. and European side impact tests and the obstacles to international harmonization.

This paper presents an extensive research program undertaken to develop improved side impact test methods. The development of a component side impact test device along with an associated test procedure are reviewed. The results of accident data analysis techniques to define anatomical areas most likely to be injured during side impact and definition of test device response corridors based on human surrogate testing conducted by the Association Peugeot/Renault and the University of Heidelberg are discussed. The relationship of response corridors and accident data analysis in earlier phases of the project resulted in definition and development of a component side impact test device to represent the human thorax. A test program to evaluate and compare component and full-vehicle test results is presented.

This paper reports the results of one of the tasks addressed in a coordinated NHTSA/MVMA side impact test procedure development program: the identification of specific tests which should be able to discriminate among vehicle designs having a significant effect on side impact injuries. Component and full vehicle crash tests addressing impacts between specific occupant body parts and vehicle regions are recommended for development. Advantages and disadvantages of component vs. full vehicle tests are discussed and areas needing further research to support side impact test development are recommended.