Dummy-loadings caused by an airbag in simulated out-of-position situations

Berg, F. A.; Schmitt, B.; Epple, J.; Mattern, R.

Affiliations

¹DEKRA Automobil AG, Accident Research/Crash Centre, Stuttgart, Germany

²Institute for Legal Medicine, University of Heidelberg, Germany

Abstract

A series of crash tests which were carried out to examine the stresses on passenger dummies (hybrid III, 50 % male) in a simulated out-of-position situation (BERG et al., 1996a) has been continued to include the lower speed range close to the airbag trigger threshold. In these tests, the passenger dummy was unbelted and bent forward out of position.

Two new full-scale tests were carried out with an Opel Corsa at impact velocities of 29 kmlh and 34 kmlh. The vehicle impacted a rigid barrier with 40 % frontal overlap. In the test at 29 kmlh, the airbag trigger threshold was not reached. In the test at 34 kmlh the airbags were triggered. Between the two tests, the car was repaired in a body shop with a complete interchange of the damaged parts. In addition, two tests were performed triggering the passenger airbag whilst the vehicle was stationary and varying the position of the corresponding passenger dummy. This dummy was bent forward in each of the cases. in one case the dummy's head was close to the dashboard, in the other the distance between its nose and the dashboard was 175 mm.

The test findings are presented and discussed on an interdisciplinary basis. The main attention is focused on: the traumato-mechanical relevance of the loadings recorded on the dummies, knowledge of biomechanical limits of the cervical spine, analyses of the worst case of the stresses with respect to traumato-mechanical aspects and the evaluation of the problems against the background of real world accidents.

Cited Works (1)

Year	Entry
1996	Berg FA, Grandel J, Grzelak R, Schmall G, Mattern R. Crash tests using passenger cars fitted with airbags and a simulated out-of-position passenger. In: Proceedings of the 1996 International IRCOBI Conference on the Biomechanics of Impact. September 11-13, 1996; Dublin, Ireland.291-302.

Cited By (5)

Year	Entry
1998	Khadilkar AV, Pauls LS. Assessment of injury protection performance of side impact airbags for out-of-position and other than 50th percentile adult male occupants. In: Proceedings of the 16th International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV). May 31–June 4, 1998; Windsor, Ontario, Canada.1858-1867.
2001	Mu W. Driver out-of-position injuries mitigation and advanced restraint features development. In: Proceedings of the 17th International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV). June 4-7, 2001; Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
1999	Ydenius A, Kullgren A. Pulse shapes and injury risks in collisions with roadside objects: result from real-life impacts with recorded crash pulses. In: Proceedings of the 1999 International IRCOBI Conference on the Biomechanics of Impact. September 23-24, 1999; Sitges, Spain.435-442.
2009	Hallman J, Yoganandan N, Pintar F. Side airbag out-of-position deployments: thoracic injury to stationary and dynamic occupants. In: Proceedings of the 2009 International IRCOBI Conference on the Biomechanics of Impact. September 9-11, 2009; York, UK.129-140.
2010	Hallman JJ. Detrimental Thoracoabdominal Interaction With Lateral Airbag Restraints [PhD thesis]. Wilwaukee, WI: Marquette University; December 2010.