Pelvic Response to Lateral Impact - Padded and Unpadded

This paper summarizes pelvic side impact data obtained from a research program conducted for the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The basic objectives of the program were to develop test methodologies for simulating the side impact environment, to evaluate vehicle side impact injury response and to develop and evaluate the performance of incorporated padding materials.

The data presented and evaluated herein represent the results of characterizing the side impact responses of a modified VW Rabbit vehicle, duplicating those responses on a dual sled test system and conducting parametric test studies varying impact velocity, occupant-to-door spacing (GAP), padding thickness and padding material.

Eighteen unpadded and twenty-one padded tests are presented as well as the full-scale crash characterization test. Comparisons are made between unpadded and padded pelvic peak accelerations under identical conditions to assess the restraint effectiveness for each padding countermeasure.