Deformation characteristics and occupant load capacity in lateral impacts for nearside belted front car passengers

Otte, D.

Affiliations

Abstract

382 passenger cars concerning isolated lateral collisions are analysed in this study. The basis are representative traffic accidents investigated in a statistical spot-check plan directly at the site of the accident by a team of scientists of the Accident Research Unit of the Medical University Hannover.

The mechanisms and impact situations responsible for the resulting injuries to the various body regions by side collisions are shown. The different deformation patterns are analysed by a special matrix measurement system. With this system deformation characteristics are established. The injury causation is explained, and the importance of intrusion analysed.

It was analysed that the head, thorax as well as the upper and lower extremeties are the most frequently traumatised body regions in lateral collisions. The most frequent impact is under 35 to 45 degrees from a frontal direction to the compartment located in the region of the A-pillar.

With higher intrusion the severity of the injuries is also increasing. For head injuries the relative movement ist responsible for the injury occurance. An influence of the depth of intrusion could be established for the thorax injuries. With depth of more than 20 cm the possibility of severe injuries MAIS>1 exists. As a result of the analysis some measures can be called for the adjustment of crash test conditions, for the shaping of the compartment interior and the compatibility between impacted and impacting vehicle.

Links

DOI: 10.4271/933126

SAE: 933126

Cited By (9)

Year	Entry
1994	Fildes BN, Lane JC, Lenard J, Vulcan AP. Passenger Cars and Occupant Injury: Side Impact Crashes. Canberra, Australia: Federal Office of Road Safety; April 1994. Report No. CR 134.
1994	Otte D. The Accident Research Unit Hannover as example for importance and benefit of existing in depth investigations. In: Proceedings of the SAE International Congress & Exposition. February 28–March 3, 1994; Detroit, MI. Warrendale, PA: Society of Automotive Engineers. SAE 940712.
1994	Fildes B, Vulcan P, Lane J, Lenard J. Side impact crashes in Australia. In: Proceedings of the 14th International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV). May 23-26, 1994; Munich, Germany.906-918.
1994	Beusenberg MC, Janssen EG, Schreuder JH. Five years experience of using EUROSID-1 in sled and car tests. In: Proceedings of the 14th International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV). May 23-26, 1994; Munich, Germany.986-995.
1996	Otte D. Assessment of measures reducing residual severe and fatal injuries MAIS 3+ of car occupants. In: Proceedings of the 15th International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV). May 13-16, 1996; Melbourne, Australia.695-703.
1996	Pipkorn B. A mathematical hybrid model for evaluating vehicle performance in car-to-car side impacts. In: Proceedings of the 15th International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV). May 13-16, 1996; Melbourne, Australia.704-719.
1996	Roberts AK, Lowne R, deCoo P, Seeck A; EEVC Working Group 13. The evaluation of sub-systems methods for measuring the lateral head impact performance of cars. In: Proceedings of the 15th International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV). May 13-16, 1996; Melbourne, Australia.1302-1312.
1995	Otte D, Pohlemann T. Injury mechanisms for pelvis fractures of nearside occupants in lateral car impacts and influences of deformation characteristics. In: Proceedings of the 1995 International IRCOBI Conference on the Biomechanics of Impact. September 13-15, 1995; Brunnen, Switzerland.403-420.
1997	Morris AP, Hassan AM, Mackay M. Chest injuries in real-world side impact crashes: an overview. In: Proceedings of the 1997 International IRCOBI Conference on the Biomechanics of Impact. September 24-26, 1997; Hannover, Germany.165-178.