Development of measuring system for external forces applied to dummy and for energy absorption

Kumagai, Koushi; Matsuoka, Fumio; Takahashi, Hiroyuki

Affiliations

Abstract

During the frontal crash testings, the Anthropomorphic Test Device, the dummy, is subjected to external forces caused by interacting with a restraint system and vehicle interior. The dummy's kinetic energy is dissipated by negative work done by these external forces. In addition, the dummy' 5 injury indexes are caused by them. As measuring the external forces and their energy absorption lead to understanding the physics of dummy's injury , it is important to measure them for the development of restraint systems.

For the purpose of measuring external forces and their energy absorption, 10 newly developed force transducers and 18 linear accelerometers were added to the dummy and the software to analyze measured data was developed. By using newly developed system, the external forces applied to head, chest, pelvis, femurs, and tibias and how it affects each injury indexes could be obtained.

The hyge sled test with passenger side airbag using the developed system has revealed that the peak waveform of chest acceleration is caused because the right hip joint is looked as a result of the femur crashing into the pelvis. It has also clarified the energy absorption process and has revealed that the energy on the lower body is efficiently absorbed through the feet.

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