Search Results

One of the leading causes of death and disability among young children is motor vehicle accidents. Although current child restraint systems (car seats) have significantly reduced mortality and morbidity, deaths and injuries still occur. Since it is not possible to correlate human child injury potential with the biomechanical devices used for high level impact testing using experimental methods, the acquisition and analysis of specific child injury data identifiable with real world automobile crashes is critical for input to biomechanical research, anthropometric test device (ATD) development and safety standard revisions. The purpose of this study was to analyze vehicular-related trauma that had occurred to children in known crash environments based on accident configuration and car seat design.

Development of a producible preloaded, force-limited passive belt restraint system for small cars has been completed at Calspan Corporation. The restraint system has been developed and evaluated through computer simulations and sled tests. This paper presents and discusses the results of the developmental program at velocity changes of 34, 40 and 45 MPH during symmetric frontal barrier crash sled and computer simulations with regard to the effect upon 50th, 95th, 5th percentile and 6 year old sized anthropometric test devices (ATDs). Data obtained include head and chest triaxial accelerations, femur loads and belt loads for the ATDs. High speed movies allowed comparisons of ATD kinematics during the sled tests with ATD model kinematics obtained from the computer simulations. A commercially available belt preloader was used during the sled tests along with: nylon webbing, polyester webbing and two levels of force limiting webbing.

Child restraint performance in frontal and lateral crash simulations is presented and discussed based upon tests conducted on the Calspan HYGE acceleration sled. Differing acceleration pulses for frontal tests were used to evaluate the pulse shape effect upon the child restraint systems. Two types of three year old size ATDs were used and restraint systems were intentionally improperly installed in an effort to ascertain the potential hazard to the child occupant from improper installation. Data obtained include head excursion, head and chest triaxial accelerations, HSI and CSI values for the ATDs. High speed movie coverage produced dummy kinematic results. Results of the study allow comparisons between the effects of different pulse shapes and the effects of different ATDs on restraint performance and comparisons in dynamic performance of the ATD/restraint complex under both proper and improper system installation.

Child restraint performance in frontal and lateral crash simulations is presented and discussed based upon tests conducted on the Calspan HYGE acceleration sled. Differing acceleration pulses for frontal tests were used to evaluate the pulse shape effect upon the child restraint systems. Two types of three year old size anthropometric test devices (ATDs) were used and restraint systems were intentionally improperly installed in an effort to ascertain the potential hazard to the child occupant from improper installation. Data obtained include head excursion, head and chest triaxial accelerations, Head Severity Index (HSI) and Chest Severity Index (CSI) values for the ATDs. High speed movie coverage produced dummy kinematic results.

Results of child restraint system performance during dynamic testing of proper and improper installation configurations are presented and discussed. Over 75 frontal and oblique sled tests were performed using either an SA1001 six-month old infant size, an SA103C three-year-old toddler size or a VIP-6C six-year-old size dummy. Also included are results of sled tests of restraint systems (both commercially available and homemade/improvised) which are intended to protect larger size children. Data presented include head and knee excursions compared with available space in selected vehicles as well as head and chest accelerations and HIC values where applicable. High-speed movie coverage was used for the objective evaluation of dummy kinematics and the subjective evaluation of soft tissue loading and its injury-producing potential.

An experimental program is discussed wherein fresh, unembalmed cadavers and anthropomorphic test dummies (ATD's) were exposed to identical crash situations. Results include tests conducted on the Calspan HYGE acceleration sled and full-scale car crash tests using belt restraint systems and air bag systems. Cadaver test data obtained include head and chest triaxial accelerations from externally mounted sensors, chest deflections and belt loads. Cadaver test data also include arterial and lung pressure measurements as well as X-ray and gross necropsy evaluations. Dummy test data include normally measured internal triaxial head and chest accelerations. High-speed movie coverage produced cadaver and dummy kinematic results. AT THIS TIME there exists some question in the automotive safety community as to the proper role cadaver experiments can play in the design, development and evaluation of safety related vehicle systems.