Rollover crashes:​ diving versus roof crush

Grzebieta, Raphael; Young, David; Bambach, Michael; McIntosh, Andrew

Affiliations

¹Department of Civil Engineering, Monash University, Australia

²School of Safety Science, The University of New South Wales, Australia

Abstract

A rational analysis of the two apparently conflicting views of neck injury causation for contained and belted occupants in rollover crashes that have been presented in research literature to date, i.e. torso augmentation (diving) vs. roof intrusion, is presented. The validity of each of the views and associated injury causation mechanisms and underlying concepts are investigated using basic Newtonian laws of physics.

Through the analysis of General Motors Malibu II rollover test series, the authors show how roof crush at high intrusion velocities results in high neck loading. Equations are developed that demonstrate how roof intrusion is integrally linked to neck loading and hence is the main causal factor of serious neck injuries in rollover crashes. The paper also shows how roof intrusion compounds torso augmentation resulting from rollover kinematic motion.

Discussions are also presented regarding the “lift shaft” analogy proposed by Moffatt and used to explain how serious head and neck injuries occur in rollover crashes. The authors show that analogy is inappropriate by at least an order of magnitude in terms of the crash severity it suggests.

Links

URL: http://www-nrd.nhtsa.dot.gov/pdf/esv/esv20/07-0394-W.pdf

Cited Works (4)

Year	Entry
2005	Friedman D, Nash CE. Reducing rollover occupant injuries: how and how soon. In: Proceedings of the 19th International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV). June 6-9, 2005; Washington, DC.
2007	Young D, Grzebieta R, McIntosh A, Bambach M, Frechede B. Diving versus roof intrusion: a review of rollover injury causation. Int J Crashworthiness. 2007;12(6):609-628.
1975	Moffatt EA. Occupant motion in rollover collisions. In: 19th Annual Proceedings, Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine (AAAM). November 20, 1975; San Diego, CA.49-59.
1990	Bahling GS, Bundorf RT, Kaspzyk GS, Moffatt EA, Orlowski KF, Stocke JE. Rollover and drop tests: the influence of roof strength on injury mechanics using belted dummies. In: Proceedings of the 34th Stapp Car Crash Conference. November 4-7, 1990; Orlando, FL. Warrendale, PA: Society of Automotive Engineers:101-112. SAE 902314.

Cited By (6)

Year	Entry
2013	Grzebieta R, Bambach M, McIntosh A, Mattos G, Simmons K, Rechnitzer G, Digges K. Replicating real world rollover crash injuries. In: Proceedings of the 23rd International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV). May 27-30, 2013; Seoul, South Korea.
2013	Grzebieta R, McIntosh A, Mattos G, Simmons K, Rechnitzer G, Mongiardini M, Dal Nevo R, Jackson C. Implementation of the UNSW Jordan rollover system at Sydney’s Crashlab test facility. In: Proceedings of the 23rd International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV). May 27-30, 2013; Seoul, South Korea.
2015	Mongiardini M, Grzebieta RH, Mattos GA, Bambach M, Rechnitzer G, McIntosh AS, Nevo RD. Analysis of vehicle roof weakness and potential for neck injuries from experimental and simulated dynamic rollover tests. In: Proceedings of the 24th International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV). June 8-11, 2015; Gothenburg, Sweden.
2015	Han B, Oh Y, Lee E, Lee J, Kim G. The effects of road contact angles and pitch/yaw angles on the injuries of drivers in CRIS test. In: Proceedings of the 24th International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV). June 8-11, 2015; Gothenburg, Sweden.
2010	Mandell SP, Kaufman R, Mack CD, Bulger EM. Mortality and injury patterns associated with roof crush in rollover crashes. Accid Anal Prev. July 2010;42(4):1326-1331.
2013	Bambach MR, Grzebieta RH, McIntosh AS, Mattos GA. Cervical and thoracic spine injury from interactions with vehicle roofs in pure rollover crashes. Accid Anal Prev. January 2013;50:34-43.