A Dynamic Sled-to-Sled Test Methodology for Simulating Dummy Responses in Side Impact

This paper describes the development of a sled-to-sled test methodology to simulate the occupant responses in different side impact cart test modes. For evaluation of various inflatable restraints (Thorax SAB, Head-Thorax Combo SAB, Pelvis-Thorax Combo SAB), the simulation of ‘gap closure’ between dummy and door is desirable to achieve satisfactory SAB performance, besides obtaining good correlation of occupant responses between full-vehicle tests and sled tests. This methodology uses a combination of three sleds - Bullet, Door, and Seat sleds to simulate the entire door velocity profile in two phases - Phase I: Gap Closure till Door-Dummy contact occurs, Phase II: Door-to-Dummy contact till separation. The initial pre-crash distance between dummy-to-door trim is achieved by positioning the Door sled relative to the Seat sled (with dummy). The Bullet sled strikes the stationary Door sled with a pre-determined initial velocity, which accelerates the Door sled to a peak velocity within a predetermined time from contact (also dummy-to-door contact velocity) to simulate Phase-I of the door velocity profile. The Door sled then strikes the stationary Seat sled with Dummy. After door-to-dummy contact, the Bullet and Door sleds are decelerated by a VIA decelerator to simulate the Phase-II of the Door velocity profile.