Investigation on Occupant Ejection in High Severity Rear Impact Based on Post Mortem Human Subject Sled Tests

In rear impacts, allowing deformation of the seat would decrease the risk of neck injuries, but may increase the likelihood of occupant ejection. This paper describes 10 sled tests conducted on 3 belted Post Mortem Human Subjects (PMHS) using a simplified seat design composed of rigid plates assembled such that the angular and linear stiffness of the seatback (including the foam) was modeled. The initial angular position and the range of motion of the seatback, the size of the PMHS, the slack length of the seatbelt, the angular stiffness of the seatback, and the use of a headrest were varied in the test matrix while the pulse was kept constant. In the test series the likelihood of occupant ejection was increased systematically until ejection occurred. PMHS seat ejection was observed only for the 95th percentile, initially positioned with a seatback angle relative to the vertical equal to 22 degrees, a range of seatback angular motion equal to 44 degrees and no headrest. Repeating the test under the same conditions but with the pretensioner fired did not prevent the ejection. In addition, the 50th percentile belted specimen was not observed to sustain rearward seat ejection under realistic conditions including the use of a headrest.

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  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/9780615545103
• Authors:
  • Petit, Philippe
  • Luet, Carole
  • Potier, Pascal
  • Vallancien, Guy
• Conference:
  • 55th Stapp Car Crash Conference
  • Location: Dearborn Michigan, United States
  • Date: 2011-11-7 to 2011-11-9
• Publication Date: 2011-11

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 91-115
• Serial:
  • Stapp Car Crash Journal
  • Volume: 55
  • Publisher: Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE)
  • ISSN: 1532-8546
  • Serial URL: http://www.stapp.org/pubs.shtml

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Cadavers; Crash injury research; Crash severity; Ejection; Headrests; Rear end crashes; Seat backs; Seat belts; Sled tests; Stiffness
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors; I84: Personal Injuries;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01372264
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 9780615545103
• Report/Paper Numbers: 2011-05
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jun 8 2012 12:33PM