The level at which forces are transmitted from the striking
vehicle in side impacts may influence the response of the struck
car in several different ways. A better contact between the front
bumper of the striking and the sill area of the struck car has been
considered to be desirable in this respect.
In side impacts, the most frequent direction of the impact is
from 3 and 9 o'clock, while the direction of the forces is
usually from 2 and 10 o'clock due to the velocity of the struck
car. A European car and the EEVC moving deformable barrier have,
therefore, been used in a crabbed mode to study the problem of load
transfer at different levels above the ground. Volvo and Saab cars
were used as targets in 55 km/h side impact with an APROD-81 side
impact dummy placed on the struck side in the front seat. The
results indicate that a difference in the level at which the loads
were applied could influence the deformations, the kinematics of
the struck cars, and the loading of the occupant.
Studies of the mechanisms of injury to pedestrians hit by cars
have indicated that a reduction of the severity of the injuries to
the lower extremity could probably be achieved by lowering the
point of first impact. This would not necessarily influence the
overall kinematics of the body in a negative way. An attempt has
been made to assess the influence on different injury-related
parameters by lowering the level of first contact and increasing
the compliance of the car front structures. As tools for this
study, a physical and a mathematical model of the pedestrian with
particular emphasis on the lower extremity have been used. The
results indicate a lowering of the level of load transfer would
have more influence on some injury- related parameters and changing
the compliance of these structures more influence on others.
The results of this combined project support the theory that a
lower level aboveground of the leading force transmitting
structures of the car front would be beneficial in both types of
accident