This content is not included in
your SAE MOBILUS subscription, or you are not logged in.
ANALYSIS OF OCCUPANT PROTECTION PROVIDED TO 50 TH PERCENTILE MALE DUMMIES SITTING MID-TRACK AND 5 TH PERCENTILE FEMALE DUMMIES SITTING FULL-FORWARD IN CRASH TESTS OF PAIRED VEHICLES WITH REDESIGNED AIR BAG SYSTEMS
Technical Paper
2001-06-0015
Annotation ability available
Sector:
Language:
English
Abstract
Historically, the United States Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 208 (FMVSS No. 208) has used 50th percentile male dummies seated in the mid-track position to evaluate occupant protection in frontal crashes. As a result of field investigations of air bag-related fatalities and serious injuries involving short-stature female drivers, more recent research has focused on improving crash protection using the 5th percentile female dummy in a full-forward seat position.
A series of 48 kmph (30 mph) full frontal rigid barrier crash tests were conducted with belted and unbelted 5th percentile female dummies in the full-forward seat position of Model Year (MY) 1999 vehicles with redesigned air bags (certified to the FMVSS No. 208 sled test). Tests were also conducted using identical vehicles with the 50th percentile male dummies seated mid-track. In the belted test series, the 5th percentile female dummy had higher chest acceleration and neck injury values (Nij) when compared to the 50th percentile male dummy. Chest accelerations were increased approximately 23 percent and Nij values were also 2–3 times higher for the 5 th percentile female dummy. Lower steering wheel rim contact, shallow chest-to-steering wheel distances, and high torso belt tension were noted in cases of high chest acceleration and Nij.
In the unbelted test series, the 5th percentile female Nij values were either 2–5 times higher, or approximately equivalent to the 50th percentile male dummy. One Nij test failure was repeated with the 5th percentile female seated 76 mm (3 in.) back from full-forward and consequently the driver Nij value was reduced from 1.29 to 0.74. Two vehicles also resulted in large hyperextensions of the 5 th percentile female passenger dummy’s neck from a combination of disproportionate air bag loadings to the head/chest region, instrument panel contacts through the air bag, and submarining. Chest accelerations for the unbelted 5th percentile female test series were typically lower or approximately equivalent to the 50th percentile male in the driver position and were typically higher or approximately equivalent to the 50th percentile male in the passenger position. Passenger chest-to-instrument panel contacts were noted in some cases.
Recommended Content
Authors
Topic
Citation
Summers, L., Hollowell, W., and Prasad, A., "ANALYSIS OF OCCUPANT PROTECTION PROVIDED TO 50TH PERCENTILE MALE DUMMIES SITTING MID-TRACK AND 5TH PERCENTILE FEMALE DUMMIES SITTING FULL-FORWARD IN CRASH TESTS OF PAIRED VEHICLES WITH REDESIGNED AIR BAG SYSTEMS," SAE Technical Paper 2001-06-0015, 2001.Also In
References
- http://www.nhtsa.dot.gov/people/ncsa/scireps.html
- Manary, M.A. Flannagan, C.A.C. Reed, M.P. Schneider, L.W. Predicting Proximity of Driver Head and Thorax to the Steering Wheel Proceedings of the 16 th International Technical Conference on Experimental Safety Vehicles, Paper 98-S1-O-011 1998
- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration th September 3 1998
- Stucki, S.L. Ragland, C. Hennessey, B. Hollowell, W.T. Fessahaie, O. NHTSA’s Improved Frontal Protection Research Program SAE Paper # 950497 , Society of Automotive Engineers 1995
- Park, B.T. Partyka, S.C. Morgan, R.M. Hackney, J.R. Lee, J. Stucki, S.L. Lowrie, L. Frontal Offset Crash Test Study Using 50 th Percentile Male and 5 th Percentile Female Dummies Proceedings of the 16 th International Technical Conference on Experimental Safety Vehicles, Paper 98-S1-O-01 1998
- Park, B.T. Partyka, S.C. Morgan, R.M. Hackney, J.R. Lee, J. Summers, L. Lowrie, J.C. Beuse, N.M. Comparison of Vehicle Structural Integrity and Occupant Injury Potential in Full-frontal and Offset-frontal Crash Tests Society of Automotive Engineer Paper 2000-01-0879 , International Congress and Exposition March 2000
- Dalmotas, D.J. Assessments of Air Bag Performance Based on the 5 th Percentile Female Hybrid III Crash Test Dummy Proceedings of the 16 th International Technical Conference on Experimental Safety Vehicles, Paper 98-S5-O-07 1998
- Rains, G.C. Prasad, A. Summers, L. Terrell, M. Assessment of Advanced Air Bag Technology and Less Aggressive Air Bag Designs Through Performance Testing Proceedings of the 16 th International Technical Conference on Experimental Safety Vehicles, Paper 98-S5-O-06 1998
- Hollowell, W.T. Summers, L. Prasad, A. Narwani, G. Ato, T. Performance Evaluation of Dual Stage Passenger Air Bag Systems Proceedings of the 17 th International Technical Conference on Experimental Safety Vehicles Amsterdam The Netherlands June 2001
- Summers, L. Hollowell, W.T. Rains, G.C. NHTSA’s Advanced Air Bag Technology Research Program Proceedings of the 16 th International Technical Conference on Experimental Safety Vehicles, Paper 98-S5-W-29 1998
- Hinch, J. Hollowell, W.T. Kanianthra, J. Evans, W.D. Klein, T. Longthorne, A. Ratchford, S. Morris, J. Subramanian, R. Air Bag Technology in Light Passenger Vehicles Dec. 16 1999
- Lindsey, A.G. “Petition Seeking to Change the Size of the Dummy in FMVSS No. 208,” September 1 1996
- Eppinger, R. Sun, E. Kuppa, S. Saul, R. Supplement: Development of Improved Injury Criteria for the Assessment of Advanced Automotive Restraint Systems - II March 2000
- Kress, T.A. Porta, D.J. Duma, S.M. Snider, J.N. Nino, N.M. A Discussion of the Air Bag System and Review of Induced Injuries SAE Paper # 960658 , Society of Automotive Engineers 1996
- Melvin, J.W. Horsch, J.D. McCleary, J.D. Wideman, L.C. Jensen, J.L. Wolanin, M.J. Assessment of Air Bag Deployment Loads with the Small Female Hybrid III Dummy SAE Paper # 933119 , Society of Automotive Engineers 1993
- National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and AAA www.nhtsa.dot.gov November 1998
- www.dms.gov