This article discusses steps to predictively estimate the responses of
Anthropomorphic Test Device (ATD) in a side impact event, based on a Side Airbag
(SAB) Force-Deformation (F-D) characteristics derived from the linear impactor
test. A critical load management challenge that has been used to assess this
predictive response process is the oblique pole impact test - part of the FMVSS
214 protocol. In this scenario, the ATD is assumed to have a free travel until
it is stopped by the crushed and stacked up door against the rigid pole. Three
critical energy management paths involved to manage the kinetic energy of the
ATD at impact are assumed at the onset, namely, the door trim crush, ATD torso
loading and most important efficient energy management of the SAB at a
controlled force level. The SAB energy management is assumed critical and tied
with the final response of the test ATD. In the study being reported, the amount
of energy absorbed by the SAB and the reaction force of the SAB are used to
predictively estimate the final responses of the test ATD. After robust vehicle
components and systems designs for body structure, door trim, friendly interior
and effective SAB to ATD coverage are achieved, results from this study show
that the F-D response of the SAB is crucial and may be used to predictively
estimate the final response of the test ATD.
The ability to predictively estimate ATD responses via linear impactor derived
SAB F-D at the component level will invariably greatly reduce SAB development
time and overall side impact safety development cost. Examples of physical SAB
linear impactor test results have been used to demonstrate the effectiveness of
this predictive assessment tool in terms of SAB development time.