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Relationship between Frontal Stiffness and Occupant Compartment Intrusion in Frontal Crash Tests
Abstract:
In the United States, there are two leading frontal crash consumer information rating systems for light vehicles. The first is the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's New Car Assessment Program (NCAP). The second rating system comes from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (NHS). For vehicle manufacturers, performing well in these rating systems has become an integral part of their safety program and the design of their vehicles. However, there has been much debate on the impact of these rating systems on vehicle design characteristics, specifically, their effects on frontal stiffness to improve these ratings.
Increased frontal stiffness in light trucks and vans (LTVs) has been shown to increase LTV aggressivity in LTV-car crashes, which is a concern. This paper focuses on how frontal stiffness relates to occupant compartment intrusion by vehicle type.
To investigate this issue, occupant compartment intrusion achieved in the NHS offset crash test is compared to different vehicle frontal stiffness measured in a full frontal rigid wall NCAP test. The objective of this analysis is to determine if there is any relationship between these frontal stiffness measures and occupant compartment intrusion.