Bumper characteristics for improved pedestrian safety

wbldb

Bacon, D. G. C.¹; Wilson, M. R.¹

Bumper characteristics for improved pedestrian safety

Proceedings of the 20th Stapp Car Crash Conference

Affiliations

¹Rolls-Royce Motors Ltd, Car Division, England
Abstract

Impacts of bumpers on the legs of pedestrians are analysed by simulating accidents using comprehensively instrumented adult and child dummies with free-standing ability. The friction force between the feet and ground is found to be a significant factor in the kinematics of the pedestrian and his interaction with the bumper, vehicle and ground. The effects of bumper height, lead and deflection characteristics are evaluated experimentally in conjunction with a mathematical model of leg impact. Bumper impacts are not considered in isolation; results indicate that bumper positional requirements for reduced leg injury would be 12-14 in height and 5 in lead, but vehicle front end height is a more important factor in determining critical impacts of other body areas with the vehicle and ground. An energy absorbing bumper system with the facility to lift the leg on impact presents further possibilities of reducing loads on the leg.
Links

DOI: 10.4271/760812

SAE: 760812

Cited Works (4)

Year	Entry
1975	Stcherbatcheff G, Tarriere C, Duclos P, Fayon A, Got C, Patel A. Simulation of collisions between pedestrians and vehicles using adult and child dummies. In: Proceedings of the 19th Stapp Car Crash Conference. November 17-19, 1975; San Diego, CA. Warrendale, PA: Society of Automotive Engineers:753-785. SAE 751167.
1975	Pritz HB, Hassler CR, Herridge JT, Weis EB Jr. Experimental study of pedestrian injury minimization through vehicle design. In: Proceedings of the 19th Stapp Car Crash Conference. November 17-19, 1975; San Diego, CA. Warrendale, PA: Society of Automotive Engineers:725-751. SAE 751166.
1974	Ashton SJ, Hayes HRM, Mackay GM. Child pedestrian injuries. In: Proceedings of the International Meeting on the Biomechanics of Trauma in Children. September 17-19, 1974; Lyon, France.159-170.
1973	Kramer M, Burow K, Heger A. Fracture mechanism of lower legs under impact load. In: Proceedings of the 17th Stapp Car Crash Conference. November 17-19, 1973; Coronado, CA. Warrendale, PA: Society of Automotive Engineers:81-100. SAE 730966.

Cited By (15)

Year	Entry
2015	Simms CK, Wood D, Fredriksson R. Pedestrian injury biomechanics and protection. In: Yoganandan N, Nahum AM, Melvin JW, eds. Accidental Injury: Biomechanics and Prevention. 3rd ed. New York: Springer; 2015:721-753.
1978	Ashton SJ, Pedder JB, Mackay GM. Influence of vehicle design on pedestrian leg injuries. In: 22nd Annual Proceedings, Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine (AAAM). July 10-14, 1978; Ann Arbor, MI.216-236.
2001	Kress TA, Porta DJ. Characterization of leg injuries from motor vehicle impacts. In: Proceedings of the 17th International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV). June 4-7, 2001; Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
1976	Harris J. Research and development towards improved protection for pedestrians struck by cars. In: Proceedings of the 6th International Technical Conference on Experimental Safety Vehicles (ESV). October 12-15, 1976; Washington, D.C.724-734.
1980	Aldman B, Thorngren L, Bunketorp O, Romanus B. An experimental model system for the study of lower leg and knee injuries in car pedestrian accidents. In: Proceedings of the 8th International Technical Conference on Experimental Safety Vehicles (ESV). October 21-24, 1980; Wolfsburg, Germany.841-849.
1982	Bunketorp O, Aldman B, Thorngren L, Romanus B. Clinical and experimental studies on leg injuries in car-pedestrian accidents. In: Proceedings of the 9th International Technical Conference on Experimental Safety Vehicles (ESV). November 1-4, 1982; Kyoto, Japan.376-386.
1982	European Experimental Vehicle Committee. Pedestrian injury accidents. In: Proceedings of the 9th International Technical Conference on Experimental Safety Vehicles (ESV). November 1-4, 1982; Kyoto, Japan.638-671.
1985	Aldman B, Kajzer J, Anderlind T, Malmqvist M, Mellander H, Turbell T. Load transfer from the striking vehicle in side and pedestrian impacts. In: Proceedings of the 10th International Technical Conference on Experimental Safety Vehicles (ESV). July 1-4, 1985; Oxford, England.620-637. SAE 856082.
1977	Ashton SJ, Pedder JB, Mackay GM. Pedestrian leg injuries, the bumper and other front structures. In: Proceedings of the 1977 International IRCOBI Conference on the Biomechanics of Impact. September 7-9, 1977; Berlin, Germany.33-51.
1977	Stcherbatcheff G, Boulaire JP, Tarriere C, Fayon A, Got C, Patel A. Severity of head-to-car and head-to-ground impacts of pedestrians. In: Proceedings of the 1977 International IRCOBI Conference on the Biomechanics of Impact. September 7-9, 1977; Berlin, Germany.93-104.
1979	Aldman B, Lundell B, Thorngren L, Bunketorp O, Romanus B. Physical simulation of human leg-bumper impacts. In: Proceedings of the 1979 International IRCOBI Conference on the Biomechanics of Impact. September 5-7, 1979; Goeteborg, Sweden.232-242.
1980	Aldman B, Thorngren L, Bunketorp O, Romanus B. An experimental model for the study of lower leg and knee injuries in car-pedestrian impacts. In: Proceedings of the 1980 International IRCOBI Conference on the Biomechanics of Impact. September 9-11, 1980; Birmingham, England.180-193.
1989	Wood DP, O Riordain S. Mathematical analysis of pedestrian lower leg impacts. In: Proceedings of the 1989 International IRCOBI Conference on the Biomechanics of Impact. September 13-15, 1989; Stockholm, Sweden.169-182.
1981	Ashton SJ. Factors associated with pelvic and knee injuries in pedestrians struck by the fronts of cars. In: Proceedings of the 25th Stapp Car Crash Conference. September 28-30, 1981; San Francisco, CA. Warrendale, PA: Society of Automotive Engineers:863-900. SAE 811026.
1978	Ashton SJ. Pedestrian Injuries and the Car Exterior [PhD thesis]. Birmingham, England: University of Birmingham; February 1978.