The Effect of Mass, Stiffness and Geometry on Injury Outcome in Side Impacts - a Parametric Study

This paper reports on a cooperative research project between the Australian Department of Transport and Regional Services and Transport Canada. This project was a parametric study aimed at better understanding the effects on side impact injury risk of: trolley mass; barrier stiffness; barrier stiffness distribution; barrier face height above ground; crabbed or perpendicular impact; and impact Speed.

The following observations on injury risk can be made from the tests: the 2 largest effects for the driver are increasing the height of the barrier face (mainly thoracic) and test speed (all body regions). Increasing the trolley mass, with a bullet / target mass ratio less than 1, has the effect of increasing only the pubic force. Doubling the barrier stiffness increases injury risk in only the pelvic area. The custom high and stiff element (attempting to replicate an SUV) increases both pelvic and abdominal loading.