In order to contribute to the worldwide discussions aimed at an improvement of the existing side impact test method, JARI and JAMA are engaged in a research project designed to provide a more realistic and effective test method in view of international harmonization.
The results of the full-scale tests by various research groups have shown that at least three problems exist: One, only a small amount of information on the vehicle characteristics can be obtained from full-scale tests. Two, it is difficult to relate the results of full-scale tests to the modification of vehicle designs. Three, it is even more difficult to apply the results of full-scale tests to vehicle design in progress.
To deal with these problems, JARI and JAMA have attempted to determine factors influencing the impact forces on vehicle occupants in a lateral collision, and have investigated the possibilities of a method combining component test procedures with a mass-spring simulation model. In this paper, factors influencing the severity of impact on the occupant were investigated by combining a component test with a simulation technique, and the results obtained were compared with those of a full-scale test, using structurally modified and padding-added vehicles.
It was found possible, by combining the component test and the simulation technique, to make a consistent prediction of the influences of vehicle specification differences, to determine in detail the side impact behavior occurring in a full-scale test, and to use the calculated results for an improvement of vehicle design.
In addition, an attempt was made to evaluate the feasibility of the CCMC-proposed composite test procedure (CTP) as an alternative to the full-scale test. The results indicated that there is a more or less satisfactory correlation between the CTP and a full-scale test, and suggested that the CTP could be substituted for the full-scale test if the remaining problems found are to be solved.