SEAT BELT PRETENSIONERS TO AVOID THE RISK OF SUBMARINING - A STUDY OF LAP-BELT SLIPPAGE FACTORS

This study investigates the effects of different design factors on submarining using sled tests and mathematical simulations. The study is focused on the following three factors: (1) the position of the pillar loop (the D-ring); (2) the leg (foot) position; and (3) belt slack. The results of the study show that: (i) occupants are more likely to submarine, if the upper belt anchorage is far behind their shoulder (as in a rear seat or in a front seat in a two-door car); (ii) the closer to the seat the occupant's feet are placed, the more likely submarining is to occur; (iii) belt slack increases the risk of submarining; and (iv) a pretensioner that operates on the buckle, significantly reduces the risk of submarining. It is also shown that the angle between the lap-belt and the pelvis, measured when the belt force has peaked and dropped to 3 kN, can predict the risk of submarining well. For the covering abstract of the conference see IRRD 864606.

• Corporate Authors:

  National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • HAALAND, Y
  • NILSON, G
• Conference:
  • THE THIRTEENTH INTERNATIONAL TECHNICAL CONFERENCE ON EXPERIMENTAL SAFETY VEHICLES, NOVEMBER 4-7, 1991, PARIS, FRANCE. VOLUME 2
• Publication Date: 1993-7

Language

• English

Media Info

• Features: References;
• Pagination: p. 1060-1068

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Abdomen; Anthropometry; Biophysics; Conferences; Crash tests; Design; Dummies; Hip; Injuries; Manual safety belts; Mathematical models; Pretensioning; Seats; Simulation
• ITRD Terms: 2035: Abdomen; 1618: Anthropometric dummy; 2060: Biomechanics; 8525: Conference; 9011: Design (overall design); 2003: Hip (human); 1648: Impact test (crash); 2163: Injury; 6473: Mathematical model; 4798: Pretensioning; 1476: Safety belt; 1388: Seat (veh); 9103: Simulation
• Subject Areas: Design; Research; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00665023
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Institute for Road Safety Research, SWOV
• Files: ITRD, USDOT
• Created Date: Sep 9 1994 12:00AM