The combination of vehicle and occupant kinematics in a side impact environment is a deceptively complex phenomenon involving the phasing of vehicle structural, restraint, and occupant dynamics and their interaction. Parameter sensitivity within this environment makes it difficult to economically develop and verify side impact countermeasures through full-scale crash testing. As a result, it was recognized that a more economical approach was needed to parametrically define a vehicle's lateral impact injury mechanisms.

This paper summarizes the results of a research program conducted by Dynamic Science, Inc. for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) of the U.S. Department of Transportation, to develop an economical sled test methodolgy for simulating the side impact environment. Sled test response characterization was defined from full-scale test data utilizing the Highway Safety Research Institute (HSRI) Side Impact Prototype Dummy (SID). The development of the methodology, vehicle side impact response characterization, sled methodology validation, and parametric results are presented and discussed.

The sled test methodology proved to be an accurate and low-cost test approach for characterization of a vehicle's side impact response for parametric analysis and countermeasure development.