Compatibility between car front and side structures to improve side impact protection

Neilson, I. D.; Watson, P. M.

Affiliations

Abstract

While test procedures are being devised to check that side impact protection is being provided to some predetermined standard, it is important to know what level of protection is practically achievable. Early work has shown that protection depends on three design features—

the padding of components likely to be struck by occupants
the strengthening of the side structure to reduce the speed of impact of the side into the occupants
the shapes of the sides of the car and of the car fronts which strike the side.

The Marina SRV of 1974 showed that side impact protection could be provided. Further tests are reported on this design which show how the protection varies with speed of side impact and indicate how important are padding, strength and shape.

Tests are also reported on the fronts and sides of twelve models of car when impacted by a mobile barrier with load cells on its rigid face. Analysis of these results suggests how some compatibility between the fronts and sides of all future models of car can be achieved and what sort of impact test might be required to check the design of both the fronts and the sides of cars. Some verification of these ideas is being arranged.

Cited Works (1)

Year	Entry
1976	Hartemann F, Thomas C, Foret Bruno JY, Henry C, Fayon A, Tarriere C, Got C, Patel A. Description of lateral impacts. In: Proceedings of the 6th International Technical Conference on Experimental Safety Vehicles (ESV). October 12-15, 1976; Washington, D.C.541-.

Cited By (4)

Year	Entry
1994	Vallet G, Ó Riordáin S, Derrien Y. A contribution to the analysis of aggressivity in frontal collisions. In: Proceedings of the 14th International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV). May 23-26, 1994; Munich, Germany.1364-1371.
1985	Le Guen H, Dargaud R, Bourdillon T. Fabrication and validation of a mobile deformable barrier for side impact. In: Proceedings of the 10th International Technical Conference on Experimental Safety Vehicles (ESV). July 1-4, 1985; Oxford, England.822-839. SAE 856095.
1987	Hobbs CA, Langdon MG, Lowne RW, Penoyre S. Development of the European side impact test procedure and related vehicle improvements. In: Proceedings of the 11th International Technical Conference on Experimental Safety Vehicles (ESV). May 12-15, 1987; Washington, DC.92-103.
1997	Wood D, Mooney S, Vallet G. An estimation method for the frontal impact response of cars. In: Proceedings of the 1997 International IRCOBI Conference on the Biomechanics of Impact. September 24-26, 1997; Hannover, Germany.321-335.