Vehicle Crush and Occupant Behavior

An analytical study of right angle barrier crashes has been conducted to evaluate the influence of vehicle crush distance, occupant spacing, and interior crush stiffness on the severity of occupant-interior impact. Particular attention was directed to the influence of the vehicle deceleration-time history wave shape. The study includes an analysis of a simple-point occupant and a more complicated articulated dummy. The results of these analyses are in substantial agreement and indicate that the most important factors in reducing unrestrained occupant impact severity in conventional vehicles are occupant spacing, vehicle crush distance, and interior crush stiffness. Because of practical considerations and the multiplicity of crash conditions, it is concluded that the most direct way to reduce injury and death is through improved vehicle interior crush behavior.