Instrument Panel Impact Characteristic Studies—G Loadings, and Force-Deflection Analyses

A series of controlled impact experiments have been conducted using test samples in a variety of shapes, materials, and adaptations as part of a continuing program to establish impact safety performance guidelines for vehicle interior surfaces. This paper is a progress report on the nearly 200 tests conducted to date. The paper discusses:

1. 1.
   The planned program and results to date,
2. 2.
   Several approaches for analyzing impact data.

In addition, the Appendix of the paper contains force-deflection data for a number of selected impact tests. Force-deflection information is useable in computer applications for simulating the impact performance of configurations, and its analysis may well become an important future technique for interpreting impact data.