Evaluation of the Lap Belt, Air Bag, and Air Force Restraint Systems During Impact with Living Human Sled Subjects

Abrupt linear decelerations (-G_x) were conducted with human volunteers in order to study the loading to the human anatomy while restrained with the lap belt, lap belt plus air bag, and Air Force harness systems.

Impulses and peak forces in the lap belts and peak forces in the seat pan, seat back, and foot cells were measured and compared. Each subject was compared with himself using the different systems, and the range and mean of these comparisons are shown.

The results indicated that in comparison with the lap belt only system, both the lap belt plus air bag and the Air Force harness systems significantly reduced the impulses and peak forces transmitted to the pelvis.