Influence of occupant seating posture and size on head and chest injuries in frontal collision

Aibe, Tsuyoshi; Watanabe, Kuniyuki; Okamoto, Tatsumasa; Nakamohi, Takashi

The evaluation of vehicle occupant protection performance in a collision is generally based on the injury criteria. The seat is placed in the standard design position, using a 50th-percentile dummy, as represented in the FMVSS 208.

On the highway, however, vehicles are driven by individuals of various physical sizes and in various seat positions.

In this study, we have examined the relationship between injury level and occupant size or seating posture.

This paper presents examination results concerning forces acting on the chest and also on factors causing injury to the head.

Year

Entry

1974

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1975

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1975

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Year

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1996

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1998

Galer Flyte M. Frontal impact protection: tailoring safety system performance by the prediction of driver size and seated position. In: Proceedings of the 16th International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV). May 31–June 4, 1998; Windsor, Ontario, Canada.236-241.

2001

van der Horst MJ, Bovendeerd PHM, Happee R, Wismans JSHM, Kingma H. Simulation of rear end impact with a full body human model with a detailed neck: role of passive muscle properties and initial seating posture. In: Proceedings of the 17th International Technical Conference on the Enhanced Safety of Vehicles (ESV). June 4-7, 2001; Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

1987

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1995

Grafton AJ, Galer Flyte MD, King PD, Jackson MR. Pre-crash sensing of occupant characteristics and position: enhancing secondary safety system performance. In: Proceedings of the 1995 International IRCOBI Conference on the Biomechanics of Impact. September 13-15, 1995; Brunnen, Switzerland.311-323.

2002

van der Horst MJ. Human Head Neck Response in Frontal, Lateral and Rear End Impact Loading: Modelling and Validation [PhD thesis]. Eindhoven, The Netherlans: Technische Universiteit Eindhoven; 2002.