Evaluation of crash types associated with test protocols

Ragland, Carl L.

Affiliations

¹National Highway Traffic Safety, Administration, USA

Abstract

National Automotive Sampling System (NASS) data are analyzed to determine the benefits that would likely result from imposed testing requirements using various frontal crash test protocols. These accident data were categorized by test type according to a set of narrowly defined real-world collision orientations. The crash test protocols were chosen based on commonly conducted international crash testing. The three test protocols considered were the offset deformable barrier (ODB), moving deformable barrier (MDB), and fixed rigid barrier (FRB). The ODB was established as a European Union (EU) test requiring a 40 percent overlap into a deformable, but fixed barrier. This test is best characterized by low accelerations, long duration crash pulses, and moderately high intrusions for the subject vehicles. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) research has been developing the MDB test that consists of a moving cart with a deformable face impacting the front of a stationary vehicle at an oblique angle with a partial overlap. This test is characterized by short duration crash pulses, high accelerations, and high intrusions for subject vehicles. The final test protocol evaluated was the FRB test that has been used extensively, particularly in the U.S., because of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 208 and New Car Assessment Program (NCAP). This test type is best characterized by short duration crash pulses, high accelerations, and relatively low intrusions for the subject vehicles.

Accident data are analyzed by test protocol to establish the base population of injury-causing crashes that most likely would be addressed by each test. It should be pointed out that, depending on the individual crash test requirements, a given crash test protocol might address some of the same injuries from the other crash types. This analysis provides a rough estimate of the most likely population best addressed by each test protocol. In this analysis, total injury counts, as well as injuries by body region, are examined by crash test protocol.

Cited Works (2)

Year	Entry
1998	Ragland CL. Offset test procedure development and comparison. In: Proceedings of the 16th International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV). May 31–June 4, 1998; Windsor, Ontario, Canada.185-193.
2001	Ragland CL, Fessahaie O, Elliott D. Evaluation of frontal offset/oblique crash test conditions. In: Proceedings of the 17th International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV). June 4-7, 2001; Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Cited By (1)

Year	Entry
2005	Takizawa S, Higuchi E, Iwabe T, Kisai T, Suzuki T. Study of load cell MDB crash tests for evaluation of frontal impact compatibility. In: Proceedings of the 19th International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV). June 6-9, 2005; Washington, DC.